Flame of the Guardian's Soul
by Miyu-Tiggress
Summary: A tragity from 16 years ago that was filled with tears comes around to bring joy and new fears.
1. Prologue

Flame of the Guardian's Soul.  
Prologue  
  
The moon shines on another bleak town just outside Kyoto. The people  
have mostly gone home but the usual drunks, druggies, and night owls still  
wonder the city grounds. Two shadowy figures sit atop one of the many  
buildings around this town.  
"A lot has changed these past 16 years, huh?" A young man with long  
pointy ears asks as he turns to his friend.  
"Yes it has...16 years of searching and all we find are dead ends and  
old Shin-" The young woman was cut off by the sound of a man screaming in  
the streets.  
"Someone help! Call the cops! A girl has just been killed!" The people  
watched and many gasped with surprise. Fortunately there was a traffic cop  
near by, he followed the boy to the scene and call for an ambulance.  
"Another innocent teenager killed," the boy said.  
"And by a shinma no less," the woman sighed, "however, with much thanks to  
Shiina we can finally put an end to all of this."  
"What do you mean? Did he find her?"  
"Ichiro, we must leave this city to find Nagi, then we must go to Europe  
and find Larva."  
"Yes Miss Ranka."  
The two figures vanished. 


	2. Finding Nagi

Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
Chapter One; Finding Nagi.  
"Raaannnkaaa, we've been walking around for hours!" Ichiro whaled,  
"can't we stop and rest for five minutes?"  
"Alright, alright, take your breather," she replied turning to look  
at the wolf boy who sighed and sat down.  
"This place sure got more trees since I was here last," he said  
looking at all the many different trees and plants.  
"Yes...I just hope that Nagi will be at the lake, once we get there."  
Ranka said looking a bit worried.  
"Why wouldn't he be?" Ichiro asked as he scratched his ear.  
"There's a lot of reasons for that," a small voice said. Ichiro  
leaped to his feet and growled as he turned his head round and round,  
"chill out Ichiro," a small pink ball of fluff fell from a chestnut tree  
and landed on Ranka's shoulder, "it's only me."  
"Shiina, how good of you to join us." Ranka said stroking Shiina's  
head softly.  
"YOU DAMN RABBIT!! DON'T DO THAT AGAIN!" Ichiro bellowed.  
Shiina just blinked his eye, "What did I do?" Ichiro mumbled a few  
cuss words under his breath and started walking again. Ranka smiled, things  
where going well, for the time being. All three of them walked along the  
twisting and turning path that would eventually lead them to the lake where  
they hoped to find Nagi. As they walked, Ranka remembered the last time she  
saw that beautiful lake 16 years ago, back when it was raining...back when  
the water was red with blood...  
Night began to fall and the crickets started singing their songs as  
the birds flew to their nests, and the owls took flight. Ranka, Ichiro, and  
Shiina where all very tired and decided to set up camp and rest for the  
night. Shiina kept watch from a tree branch as Ranka started a fire and  
Ichiro went out to find some food. Once there was a good blaze burning,  
Ranka looked up to the sky and peered at the brightness of the full moon.  
"Shiina," she began, "did you...did you really find them? Both of them?"  
"Yes, I'm positive it's them. I have no doubt about that in my mind."  
"I see..." Ranka turned to see Ichiro had returned with a full-grown  
buck.  
"This is the easy thing we're doing right now," he said as he plopped  
the duck next to Ranka, "finding Nagi won't be too hard, there's only so  
many places he goes."  
"You're right, being able to speak with Larva and taking him out of  
Europe and his cousin's never ending infatuation will be much more  
difficult," Ranka pointed out.  
"Carula just needs to get a clue," Shiina exclaimed as he scratched  
his ear with his foot, "Larva doesn't love her in that way. And anyways  
he'd be glade to get away from her I bet. Family or not, she hangs on him  
like a little lost puppy, it's actually quick sick."  
Ranka nodded, "that's very true and he will be very happy to hear the  
news."  
An hour later, the duck was fully cooked and ready to eat; Shiina's ear  
then uncovered his budging eye, "We've company coming and it's not Nagi or  
an animal..." Just then a strange looking thing came crashing through the  
trees and sent a stream of drool in their direction, the creature was  
definitely a shinma of the animal verity. It looked about 15 feet in height  
and looked like a cross between a badger and a snail.  
"Yes! Action time!" Ichiro announced happily as he jumped up and swung his  
leg at the shinma, hitting it square in the center of the nose. The shinma  
screeched and grabbed the wolf boy with its slimy hand then tossed Ichiro  
into one tree after the other.  
"WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Ichiro screamed each time he  
was about to hit the next tree. Ranka took a hold of her sash and swung it  
at the shinma, trapping it with her shall, causing it to drop Ichiro.  
"Ohff!"  
The shinma struggled against Ranka's sash so violently it looked as though  
it was having a secure. But Ranka made sure her sash would hold the thing  
very tightly, as she did this, Ichiro leaped to his feet clearly angry that  
the shinma had been able to throw him around like a toy doll. The wolf boy  
took on his form and jumped at the shinma then his teeth met the shinma's  
throat. The thing wailed loud enough to be heard a good 2-½ miles away as  
his twisted its head this way and that way. Then the shinma made itself  
fall to the ground, he almost crushed Ichiro but the wolf moved just before  
the shinma hit the ground.  
"We better kill it fast," Ranka said, "it's cries and that thud will attack  
the humans that live near here."  
"Maybe Nagi or even Sen-Jui hear it," Shiina said in a hopeful manor.  
As though that was a hint for one of them to show up, Sen-Jui came running  
up to them from the path that lay ahead of them. "I heard the cry of the  
Shinma," he said although he didn't need to.  
"It's good to see you again, Sen-Jui," Ranka said as the shinma to her side  
flipped about like a freshly caught fish that was trying desperately to get  
back into the water.  
"Too bad our last meting was so...different," Sen-Jui said with a light pain  
in his voice. Last time he saw them was when...  
Ichiro appeared besides Ranka and said, "let's kill the damn thing  
already."  
Sen-Jui took his knifes out of his pockets and Ranka turned to face the  
panicking shinma. Sen-Jui sent his knifes into both the heart and stomach  
of the thing and Ranka finished the job by creating the illusion that the  
shinma was just another boulder in the woods.  
"We need to find Nagi," she said turning to face Sen-Jui, "Shiina has found  
them."  
Sen-Jui blinked and he nodded, "I'll take you to where he is." They all  
then started off at a run towards the direction of the lake, where Nagi  
would surely be. As they got closer Ranka could see the remains of  
shattered rocks, broken and burned trees, and the log that was still  
tainted red. At first these things where a rare sight, but as they drew  
closer and closer she could see the remains from those 16 years ago, even  
through the vines, grass, and smaller trees that where trying to hide them.  
When they got to the lake a strange hush seemed to fill the area this hush  
came to them all as they cached their breath. Ranka looked around at the  
lake and its surroundings, "nothing's changed," she said to no one in  
particular. The lake was no longer red but it's silvery blue color once  
more, but everything elts looked just as it did all those years ago. There  
where dead logs and stumps where there had once been trees, sand and dirt  
marked the spots where the grass and many lushes flowers had once grown,  
tiny pebbles lay in the place where they had been shattered as boulders,  
the only life Ranka could see was of five white water lilies in the lake  
that all together looked like the points in a star.  
"It's like the forest and the lake can't forget what happened," Shiina said  
while he looked at an old log he had once sat on.  
"Or maybe they just can't see a reason to grow anymore?" Ichiro asked in a  
low voice. Ranka could only agree with them, she figured it was a  
combination of what the two boys said.  
"Human's don't even come this far anymore," a new voice said in a hushed  
voice. Everyone turned his or her heads to see Nagi walk out from half a  
Willow tree, he looked like he hadn't eaten nor slept in days, "teenagers  
tell stories of this place being haunted or that the lake's cursed and all  
things around it die from only a glance at it."  
"Nagi..." Ranka was taken a back by the tone in his voice; it suggested that  
he had been the one scaring all the humans off.  
Nagi continued as though he had not heard her, "the animals don't even come  
around anymore...it's like they know."  
It broke Ranka in half to see a grown man in such a state, she didn't know  
what she had expected him to look or act like. Yet she knew why he was  
acting like this, it was the loose he had suffered.  
"Nagi, I've found them," Shiina said as he jumped onto Sen-Jui's shoulder.  
That got Nagi's full and complete attention. He looked strait at Shiina,  
his eyes wide and his jaw slightly dropped, "you have?" was all he could  
seem to say in his state on shock. 


	3. The Trip over the Sea Part One

Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
Chapter Two  
The Trip over the Sea  
Part One.  
Ranka had decided it would be best to take a ship to Europe rather  
then a plain. She was a bit irritated when Ichiro whined that he didn't  
like the water, and Sen-Jui pointed out that a plain would take up less  
time, but fortunately she had Nagi and Shiina on her side. "The boat will  
be better than the plane for a few reasons. One is we can keep an eye out  
for Strays and Shi who try to leave by boat, two is the fact that no one  
here's ever really been on a Cruse Liner, and three, we'll need to take a  
boat to find them anyways." Nagi pointed this out with more of his old  
voice that, from the look of Sen-Jui's face, he had not done that in a  
while.  
Ranka had been given the job of going with Sen-Jui to gets tickets  
for a trip to Europe. They had both decided to blend in and put human  
cloths on, Sen-Jui had on a pair of black pant with black shoes and a dark  
blue t-shirt with a dragon imprinted on it; Ranka had put on a midnight  
blue shirt and wore black sandals against the Autumn weather and she topped  
it all off with a white long sleeved shirt.  
When they arrived at the ticket booth the guy behind it discussed Ranka  
when she took note of the magazine he was reading, hentai was supposed to  
be illegal when on the job. Sen-Jui looked as discussed as she did, but he  
cleared his throat and said, "um excuse me, can you put that away and help  
us?" The man seemed angry that they had bothered him, but he did put the  
magazine down.  
"What can I do for?" He asked in a voice that suggested he was smoking  
three packs a day.  
"We'd like five tickets for the Mermaid Angel Liner set to go to Europe  
tomorrow," Sen-Jui replied as he took a wallet out, "how much will they  
be?"  
"You look a bit young to be buying tickets their sonny."  
"I'm 20 sir, and my fiancé is 19 if that seems young then you are really  
way to indulged in that hentai magazine of yours." Ranka blinked when Sen-  
Jui referred to her as his fiancé but the man had bought it, apparently he  
didn't want to dwell on that topic since Sen-Jui had caught him in the act  
of being a pervert.  
"That'll be $125.00 for the tickets and you'll need to arrive with your  
company in the morning to fill out your passports," the guy said, that was  
more that Sen-Jui had originally thought, but he handed the man the money  
just the same.  
They took the tickets and started back to the lake. Everything around them  
now seemed too different, it was either because many of the stores had  
changed or the fact that neither one of them had been around humans for 16  
years. Perhaps it was both. One way or another everything seemed so strange  
and off balance.  
When they got back to the lake they informed Nagi, Ichiro, and Shiina of  
the plans. "You mean we have to get up witch the fuckin' chickens to go to  
Europe?!" Ichiro groaned.  
"Yes, Ichiro, we do. But how we get you and Shiina on bored without saying  
you're pets is beyond me," Sen-Jui said. Sen-Jui, Ranka and Nagi could  
easily pass for human, Ichiro and Shiina that was another story. Shiina did  
not possess the power to change his form into anything at all, and Ichiro's  
ears gave him away as something other than human at first glance. How where  
they going to pull this one off?  
"Maybe I can find a really big hat that'll cover my ears?" Ichiro  
suggested.  
"Yeah...winter's not that far off." Nagi told him.  
"What about me?" Shiina said, looking at all of them. "I can't turn into a  
human, and I'm NOT going to be a damn stuffed animal."  
"Then you'll just have to be a pet, we can save this last ticket for Larva  
when we find him." Ranka said confidently.  
Shiina didn't find this very amusing but he agreed non-the-less. Sen-Jui  
suggested that he get everyone some food and they all agreed that it was  
time to eat, then Ranka was going to the third layer to make sure Reiha  
would not follow them, no matter what that took. After that they would all  
settle down for a good night sleep. Sen-Jui got the food, now it was time  
to make sure Reiha would not follow them.  
Ranka was skeptical about whether or not Reiha would catch on, Reiha was  
not stupid and she seemed to know when things where being hidden from her.  
Ranka said a silent prayer to any god that might listen. When Ranka reached  
the place where Reiha had been staying lately, she was greeted with a cold  
wind and Reiha glaring.  
Ranka grew angry and obviously Reiha could tell because she stopped then  
giggled, "Why are you here Ranka? If it's about Miyu and Yui I already  
know."  
"How could you know?" Ranka's anger was slowly growing.  
"You mean you cannot feel it?" Another giggle, "All the Shinma Layers have  
had tense energy flowing in the air the past few days. Everyone knows  
something is going to happen soon, but none of them know what. Non except  
me."  
"Reiha I want you to stay here in Japan. You must not follow us, you shall  
screw everything up once again!"  
This time Reiha's anger showed, "Screw up everything? Really, everything?!  
Ranka I can easily inform what's left of the Bird Shinma that they failed  
and the new Guardian will be killed in only a few days! 16 years ago I only  
told them I knew the Guardian, I've no idea how they found Miyu or Yui for  
that matter!" Her angry face suddenly had a smirk across it, one that Ranka  
wanted to slap off. "Besides Ranka, I was there when Miyu's powers awoke, I  
saw her and Larva exchange blood, I will meet this new Guardian and you  
cannot stop me."  
"Reiha you where never able to kill Miyu, you never had the courage to do  
so. You where scared of her, and you had a right to be. No matter what you  
say you are you are still just another Shinma. Stray or not, you are a  
Shinma." Ranka felt particularly bold in saying this because she too was a  
Shinma. Reiha and herself where not Stray's but they where still Shinma and  
would have to rest one day in the Dark with all the others.  
Reiha glared and disappeared in a storm of ice. Ranka smiled to herself,  
she had done what others had found so hard to do. She hurt Reiha's pride.  
----  
When Ranka returned to the lake, everyone but Nagi had fallen asleep, Ranka  
looked at him as the campfire light his face. He was tired that was plane,  
he hadn't eaten much, and his eyes that had once shown protection and  
kindness now showed nothing but sadness.  
"You think I'm weak don't you?" Nagi looked at Ranka like she had always  
been standing there.  
She shook her head, "No Nagi, you are not week. You are simply a man who's  
heart was broken and now see's a small amount of hope to repay your duty to  
Yui," she walked over to him and sat beside him, the fire-light still  
dancing on his face. "You loved Yui, I'd think you where cold hearted if  
you did not miss her."  
"Thank you Ranka, I really needed to hear that." He smiled sadly and stood  
up, walked over to a small pile of leaves and fell asleep. 


	4. The Trip over the Sea Part Two

**Flame of the Guardian's Soul**  
Chapter Three  
The Trip over the Sea  
Part Two

When the morning came and everyone got up, it was going to be a long day. First there was the matter of getting passports, or Green Cards as they where called, then getting to Europe in one piece and the hard part would be the one on seeing Larva. They all knew that that would not be easy. His lustful bitch of a cousin would surly attempt to kill them once she saw them. They would have to be tricky, surely Shiina could get in none of the Western Shinma, except Larva, had ever seen him.  
"I can get in, worse thing they'd do is try to kill me," Shiina said as he paused in front of the pet carrier, "If they do I'll just find my way around and yell for Larva. I doubt he could forget my voice." With that Shiina hopped into the cage.  
"You are right Shiina," Ranka said, "We have to keep our guard up though. I've learned from experience that Western Shinma are not to be trusted."  
"There's also more of them then there are Japanese Shinma," Sen-Jui joined, "They haven't had a Guardian in the west since the time when Queen Elizabeth ruled the thrown."  
Nagi blinked in surprise, "How do you know that?"  
"I did a little research on it the other day, you just go in and see how many vampire sightings there have been over the last decade and they've more than doubled in some area's since the Renaissance."  
Ichiro shook his head; "You've way too much free time on your hands, Sen-Jui." Everyone managed a small chuckle out of that one. It was then that Ichiro turned into his wolf form.  
"We'll have to buy you a collar when we get to town Ichiro," Sen-Jui said. When Ichiro looked as though he had been insulted Sen-Jui then added, "Well if you want to pass as our pet and get on that ship to help us and not get sent to the pound then that's what we'll have to do."  
Ichiro lowered his head then Ranka added, "You can pick it out you know." That caught his attention and he did a type of bark that meant he approved. With that the group set out to the city and for the long battling journey that they all knew would come after it.

When they got to town several people looked at Shiina with curiosity a few little kids even ran up to Ranka and one asked, "Miss sorry to bug you but um, is that really a pink bunny?"  
Ranka giggled, "Yes he ha always been pink, that's why I bought him from...eBay," she lied but the kids where in aw, "his name is Shiina and he's very dear to me and my fiancé, isn't that right, Sen-Jui?"  
Sen-Jui blinked, "Uh yeah honey, Shiina's the cutest thing in the world, aside from you that is." The kids giggled a bit then they ran off.  
"Alright," Nagi said, "Let's get Ichiro his collar and get the hell out of here." The others nodded in agreement and they headed for the pet store. Ichiro picked out a spiked collar and Nagi bought it for him. After that they left the store and made their way across town to the docks.  
They finally arrived at the docks around nine in the morning and went to the passport office to get their pictures taken and all that fun stuff. The wait was about 15 minutes long but the rest went smoothly, finally they got in the line to get on the boat that would take them to Europe. The wait for the ship was aggravating, Shiina kept getting poked at by the little boy in front of him, Ranka was stuck in her own thoughts, Nagi was blankly starring at the sea, Ichiro kept getting pats on the head from people passing by, and Sen-Jui seemed to be the candy of every girl's eye.  
After what seemed like an eternity of standing around the ship finally came up to it's loading dock and the people began the task of boarding the ship so they could get to their rooms. The man taking the tickets had originally wanted to take Shiina and Ichiro to the baggage deck with most of the other animals, but when Ranka made a quick lie to tell him that the animals where important for a project that she and Sen-Jui where doing for collage. The man bought the lie and they made their way to the second-class Deck B and made themselves comfortable.  
"Ranka how long will this take?" Ichiro asked once he turned back into his human form.  
"About a week or two, all we can do it just wait." She replied.  
"A WEEK OR TWO!?!?" Ichiro bellowed.  
"Yes, a week or two. But a ship is safer than a plane," she said as she set Shiina's cage on the bed and let him out.  
"Two weeks will be about right," Shiina said as he hopped out of the cage, "Besides, I'll need that time to tell you all about Miyu and Yui and their new lives." He looked at them, "Or should I wait until we get Larva?"  
"Just tell us a few things now and tell us the rest after we get Larva," Nagi said, "I want to know about Yui's new life."  
Shiina nodded, "Well Yui's name isn't Yui in this life, it's Gina." He began, "She still has brown hair but it's curly and her eyes are still that deep brown they used to be. She just turned 16 in May and is at the top of her class in everyway you can imagine. She's had three boyfriends already and is one of the more popular girls in the school she goes too. Her hobbies include studying to be a lawyer and riding horses. She's very interested in Witch Craft and is a studying Wicca at the moment mostly because she's had no time to study her craft for a while."  
Nagi blinked, "You saw all this with your eye?" He asked.  
"No," Shiina replied, "I've two old American Shinma friends who said they'd find and watch over Miyu and Yui's new form and life."  
"Can these American Shinma be trusted?" Ichiro asked, "I heard they are more ruthless then the Western Shinma."  
Shiina nodded, "They are, but the real American Shinma are few in number these days, they have been killed over the years by their Guardian and by other Shinma of this planet since they found the Earth was in fact round and not square."  
"Who are your friends then, Shiina?" Ranka asked.  
"They're Cat Shinma, the clever kind. The older one is with Gina and his name that she calls him buy is Simba."  
"What's is real name?" Ichiro asked.  
"He's been around so long and had so many names that he can't remember what his real name is," Shiina replied.  
"What about the one that's with Miyu? What can you tell us about her and her cat?" Ranka asked.  
Shiina looked at her, "I'm not going to tell you all much about Miyu's new life. But I will tell you about Pumpkin, he's not the oldest but he's definitely the most talented." He began, "Pumpkin has lived for about 300 years and his real name is Glacier--"  
Ichiro interrupted him, "He's named after a thing of ice?"  
"As I was saying!" Shiina stated firmly, "He has the power to change the size of his body from a house cat to that of a Siberian Tiger. As for Simba he can read minds and walk on water."  
"They are very talented then," Sen-Jui said.  
"Yes they are," Shiina said.  
"What can and will you tell us about Miyu?" Ranka said.  
"I will only say that she'll be 17 in January and that she is good friends with Gina. I will not give out more until we get Larva." They nodded in understanding.  
Soon the sun was setting and the moon came out to light the night sky, people took walks on the top deck on the ship. Ranka had gone topside an hour ago to see the sea, she had never seen the sea well not like this anyways. It would be 16 days until they got to the docks of Europe; she prayed that Larva was in Europe and that his cousin wouldn't be too much of a pin I the ass for them. Carula may love Larva but he was a big boy and could make his own choices. What would they do for 16 days, what as happening back home, and why did she have this sinking feeling in her gut?  
She knew something was wrong, she felt that there was something Shiina was not telling them. And the Cute-Beast had always told them whatever they wanted to know. Or maybe she was making something out of nothing, and then something hit her. The thing was bothering her was the smell of Shinma of the ship, not the ones Shiina and Ichiro where giving out. There was another Shinma on the ship.  
Ranka took a step back from the railing and started to walk around the top deck of the ship. She didn't find it there so she went to A Deck and walked around all the places she could. When she still found nothing she went back down to B Deck, it was then she felt the aura of the Shinma hit her. It coming from the hall where her room was, she wondered if it was Shiina at first but then she remembered that Shiina couldn't give off this much power. Making her way down the hall she felt the power of the aura getting stronger and stronger as she reached her room.  
When she reached the room and opened the door she was shocked to see that everyone was fine and dandy, but she was even more surprised to see a cream-gray cat with a striped tail and legs on the bed next to Shiina. The cat turned its head to face her, "You must be Ranka," it said.  
She blinked, "Yes, and who are you?"  
"Ranka this is Simba," Shiina said, "He teleported here somehow."  
Confusion began to sink into Ranka's mind, "You came to us? But how did you even know where to find us?"  
Simba's tail seemed to twitch, "There's a girl Gina know who is very good at the art of Scrying, and she was at Gina's house and did her little Scrying in the water and said she saw a ship coming from the East with a wolf, a rabbit, three people and the Grim Reaper on bored," he said is a cool voice, "I had a feeling it would be you all so I came to help speed things up a bit."  
"Wait," Sen-Jui said, "How are you going to speed things along?" He asked.  
Simba turned his head to face the young vampire, "The same way I got here."  
"They'll be looking for us on the ship though," Nagi said firmly.  
"Oh no they won't," Simba told him, "I've already erased any and all data on you."  
Ranka looked extremely impressed, "So you intend to teleports us to Europe?" She asked.  
He nodded, "Yes I am going to teleport you to the Docks of Europe when you all are ready to go so you can search for your final member."  
"We are ready now," Shiina said and the others nodded.  
"Alright," Simba said, "Everyone put a hand or paw on me or it won't work." Everyone did as Simba asked of him or her and the next thing that happened felt like the sensation one gets when they've spun around in a cercal too many times. Then it was like they where flying and still spinning in many circles. After what felt like hours of doing this they finally felt the ground under their feet, when they opened their eyes they where standing at a harbor. Ranka looked around and from the writing guessed that they had landed in England.  
She then asked, "So this is where he is, Simba?" When there was no answer she turned around and found that the cat was gone.  
"He probably had to get back to Gina," Shiina said as he hopped onto her shoulder.  
She nodded and scratched his ear softly, "Now for the easy part, find Larva."


	5. The Inevitable Return of the Protector

Note from Miyu-Tiggress:: Okay in this chapter there is a scene in here that will seem like one from Queen of the Damned (movie) where Jessie is at the Admirals Arms, yes I did change is somewhat from the movie so hopefully I won't get my ass chewed.

**Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
**Chapter Four  
The Inevitable Return of the Protector

From the looks of the area this had to be an older part of England. The streets where dead because it was night, but still Ranka and the others could feel great numbers of Shinma close by. Perhaps there was a pub near here where Shinma would hang out and swap stories of sorts. No one could know for sure about anything in this part of the world thus they would have to proceed with their plan using great caution.  
Ranka turned to face the boys, "I think we shall have to split up in order to find him or one of his companions. We can communicate through our minds to one another."  
"Ranka," Sen-Jui said, "Since there's five of us I really think that this may not be a good idea to separate."  
"What choice do we have?" She asked, "There's only five of us yes, but only two Shinma here know who we are and what we look like."  
Nagi spoke up, "This is true but my guess is that if we find one of the two the other won't be far off."  
"That is the only thing we have to use to our advantage," Ranka said, "Now Ichiro, take Shiina with you and go look south, Nagi you go north, Sen-Jui you take the east, I'll take the west." They all nodded and went their separate ways.  
Ranka had been walking about for what felt like many hours but it wasn't for nothing, she could feel the aura of Shinma getting stronger as she went further out by the edge of the docks. Then she could hear music that sounded like some very angry and disturbed people where playing it. The closes she got the more she felt the Shinma and the louder the music got. Then she saw it, it was a small pub alright back where no human's would dare go. _How fitting_, she thought.  
She wondered how the hell she was going to get in and surely it was one of those Privet Clubs that only members could get into. Sinking into the shadows she quietly stood and waited for someone to come along. Waiting was really her only option anyways, it wasn't like she could just walk up to the door and go in and say, 'hay have any of you seen Larva around?' The Western Shinma considered him a traitor so if she asked for him she could put his life on the line.

It was about 20 minutes before she saw someone walking up to the door of the pub. She gathered up her courage and quickly yet quietly, walked behind the group who was now entering the pub. Once she was inside she was utterly surprised to see so many Shinma in one small building. The Shinma glanced at her briefly as she passed them buy, she then saw something by the bar that caught her attention. She walked up to the edge of the bar where no Shinma where sitting to get a closer look at the object.  
It was a framed sheet of paper that looked to be over 200 years old, written on it where the words, _The Last Guardian of the West was killed Here_, she blinked.  
"Hello," Ranka turned her head to see where the voice came from, it was the Shinma beside her.  
"Evening," she said then looked at the bar table.  
"Come here often?" He asked, and two of his friends smirked slightly behind him.  
"All the time," she lied.  
The Shinma beside her pulled the back of her shirt down slightly then suddenly let go, "I don't see a tattoo of a member."  
Ranka knew she was in a fix now, "Well you haven't seen the rest of my body."  
The female Shinma smirked and walked over behind Ranka, "Is that an invitation, dear?"  
"No, I am taken," Ranka replied.  
"Then, where is your host?" The girl asked her.  
Ranka knew she should get the hell out of there right now, "Oh he should be around here somewhere.." she said at last.  
The other male Shinma looked at her in disbelief, "This host, what's the name?" he asked.  
_I'm in so much trouble_, Ranka thought but said it anyways, "His name is Larva."  
The three vampires blinked and for a second Ranka thought she was going to be in a fight. "Oh him..." the female Shinma said to Ranka's surprise, "I'll go get him for you," she then walked near the back of the pub.  
Ranka was speechless. "I've never seen you here with Larva before," the male Shinma said.  
Ranka decided to twist her story, "Well normally he waits for me outside, but he's ten minutes late so I thought I better come in and look stupid until I found him."  
"Ranka..." a familiar voice said, she turned and saw Larva standing two feet from her, a look of oppressed shock is his eyes, "I um.."  
But she cut him short, "It's alright, Larva, I don't see a clock in here so you probably lost track of the time. Is that why you didn't meet me outside?" She asked.  
He caught onto the game, "Yes...yes I am sorry I forgot you where meeting me here tonight." He walked up to her and took her hand, "Let's go talk outside where prying ears and eyes will leave us be." He led her out of the pub and down three blocks before he stopped. He turned and looked at her, "What are you doing here, Ranka? Walking around by yourself like that will get you killed."  
"Larva, I came looking for you because Shiina has found Miyu and Yui." The look of surprise in his face became more obvious after that was said, "We came to see if you want to help us awaken them."  
"Of course I do," he said, "But where is she? Japan?"  
"No...America. And we'd have to leave as soon as we can unless your cousin isn't still possessive of you."  
Larva let out a heavy sigh, "She is like a lost puppy half the time." He then looked at her in the eye, "When do we leave?"  
"Tonight," she replied.  
An angry voice interrupted them, "Larva!" Both their heads snapped to the direction of the voice, to their dismay it was Carula. The look on her face reminded Ranka of a mad bitch in heat.  
"Carula..." He said with an angered tone.  
She walked up to him and Ranka and gave Ranka a look of kill before he glared at Larva, "What are you doing? Talking to a Japanese Shinma, one who helped that Miyu bitch take you away from me non the less!"  
Larva surprised both of the girls when he slapped Carula across the face. Carula held her cheek and looked at him with tears forming in her eyes, Larva gave her the coldest look Ranka had ever seen in her life. Then he said, "Don't you _dare_ speak of Miyu that way around me Carula!" Ranka had never seen him do anything like that since...  
Carlua's face was torn with anger, "If you truly did love that...that...child more then your own kin why did you come back?!" She was about to cry and Ranka knew it.  
"Because Lemunia needed to get back here in one piece," he said, "He could hardly walk after he was released from his death in the Dark. And Lemures had asked me to stay to help him with Lemunia and since I had nothing elts to do after Miyu was...was killed I decided to humor my friend and I stayed."  
Carula was crying now, "We should have killed you 18 years ago when we had the chance!" With that she turned and ran off.  
"I have never seen you do anything like that before," Ranka said as she looked up at Larva.  
He nodded, "I just cannot stand when anyone say's things like that about Miyu...it's taken me a long time to adjust to life with out being at her side.."  
Ranka saw the sadness form in Larva's eyes and she then remembered that Miyu's death had hit him the hardest. Everyone knew it after all he loved Miyu. Putting a hand on his shoulder she said, "Come Larva, let's reunite you with the woman who now holds Miyu's soul inside of her." He nodded and Ranka connected to the others with her mind that she had found Larva and they where ready to leave any time now.  
They all met at the dock where Simba had dropped them off earlier that night. The others where happy to see Larva, Shiina had jumped onto his shoulder and nuzzled his face, it was his way of hugging people. Larva had smiled faintly and patted Shiina's head.  
"Now that you've joined us," Nagi started, "Do you have any idea of how the hell we can get out of here and to America?"  
"Yes I do," Larva replied, "We can use my ship." Larva walked to the edge of the dock and held his hand out, closing his yes, the water started to bubble and a great ship shot out from the water. (Think of the on Garlin was on)  
"Holy shit," Ichiro said. "That thing's freakin' huge!"  
"It was originally a battle ship we used when we'd go to a new land so we could establish the rule of the Western Shinma," Larva said, "It cannot be detected by humans and is faster than these modern day bullet trains."  
"How fast will it get us to America?" Sen-Jui asked as he looked at Larva.  
"We shall be there by this time tomorrow night," he responded. Then they all got on bored the large ship and before they knew it the shit had moved out of the dock. Larva looked at Shiina and asked, "What can you tell me about Miyu's soul holder?"  
Shiina looked at him, "Well her name is Aira. She will be 17 in January, she has blond hair and violet eyes. She doesn't seem to be like Miyu at all except the fact that she's protective of those she loves. She is also a very powerful newly-titled Witch."  
If Shiina said anything more Larva didn't hear it. His mind was suddenly folded in memories of Miyu and that dreadful night 16 years ago... This was his only way to make up for his failer to find this Aira and protect her as he had protected Miyu. He just prayed that Carula and the others would not come for him. He loved his homeland yes, but he no longer considered himself a Western Shinma. He was just a wonderer now seeking his forgiveness from the one he loved most in the world.


	6. Sea of Red Memories

MiyuTiggress Speaks: My friend Tony brought this to my attention before I posted this chapter up and there are a few things I should tell you. And if you haven't finished the T.V series of Miyu then this will contain spoilers. The past of Miyu's that I'm using is the one in the Manga not the T.V. Also, Larva's arm was never lopped off in the fight against the Bird Shinma.

**Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
Chapter Five**  
Sea of Red Memories

Larva stood at the bow of the ship looking out across the open sea as the sun began to rise as if it had been hiding in the sea all night long. Looking down to the see he saw that there where dolphins racing with the ship. A small and faint smile can across his face, but it was short lived. The reflecting light of the sun on the sea and the clouds made what should be blue a very deep red. Like blood.

He could no longer stand the color of red that was blood. It brought back to him too many painful memories of Miyu. He clutched his hands into fists trying to block out the memory of her death and how he had not been able to save her. The image of pain from her face was still burned into his mind so deep he felt it on his psyche. It had scared him for life and he knew it. When he thought he had over come all his weaknesses by pretending he never loved Miyu, it truth she was his only weakness he ever truly had.

He was glad that the others had wished to look around the ship, there would be no one around now to see him like this. If his mask had not been broken on that day 16 years ago he would have simply put it on to hide from the others. But not now, now he would have to endure the pain with out a mask to hide his face in. The memory was stating to come into his mind again he knew he couldn't fight it. He'd just have to remember...

((FLASH BACK))

The wind was blowing from the north that day giving a ray of hope for a break from the long and excruciating heat wave the city had over the last two weeks. Miyu was sitting on the roof of the graveyard's Care Taker house, the wind blowing her hair about as if it was playing with it. Shiina was sound asleep on her lap, and Larva was at her side. As the night drew on, Larva thought it was time Miyu should get some rest. When he glanced down at her he was surprised to see she was smiling softly at the city.

"You seem to be in a good mood tonight, Miyu." He said softly.

Her smile grew, "I was thinking of my mother," she said. "The last night I spent with her the wind was blowing like this." Her smile then faded into a sad frown, "I miss her."

He looked down at her, he remembered that night from 20 years ago. Miyu's blood had awoken thanks to him and she had killed her own mother. That memory had been used against her many times, "Miyu," he began but she cut him off.

"No Larva," she said, "I would rather not talk about the past," her eyes closed and he knew she was trying not to cry.

She needed rest and he knew it, Larva bent down and picked Miyu up in his arms. He had surprised her so he explained, "You are tired Miyu, I can tell. You should get some rest." She nodded reluctantly yet she knew he was right.

She had opened the portal to the Crimson Realm and Larva had walked in, still carrying her in his arms, even with Shiina sound asleep on her lap. When he stopped she floated into the air with Shiina in on arm. She placed the Cute Beast on a tree branch softly and floated back down to face Larva. He looked down at her expecting her to ask for his blood, she had not fed for a while. But instead she surprised him.

"Larva," she began, "Are you happy here?"

He blinked, "What do you mean, Miyu?"

"I mean what I said, are you happy here?" She looked at him with the question burning in her eyes, "It's just that when Garlin came here for you that first time I thought I might actually lose you. And then when your kin came for you again two years ago and did, whatever they did to you, you just seemed more at peace." She looked down, "Ever since that event I had been curious about whether you have been happy here in Japan...with me."

He was confused, she had never asked him this question before. He thought something was wrong for her to question his happiness. Reaching up and taking his mask off, he spoke, "Miyu I am happy here in Japan with you." She looked up at him and he placed his free hand under her chin so he could make perfect eye contact. "I was happy to see my kin, but I stay here in Japan with you because--"

Miyu cut him short again, "Because you are the one who shall take my life."

"No," he said shaking his head, "That's not why. I stay with you because I care about you Miyu." He saw he had caught her off guard with that answer, "You mean a lot to me. You know more about me than anyone elts ever did, even Pasazu. I have watched over you as the centuries have past and I have come to love you very much," he kisses her forehead, "I am happy here Miyu."

She looked as though she could cry tears of joy, but instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist softly, he had nothing to hide from her, and he never did. He had spoken the truth. They stayed like this for a long while, just holding onto one another, until Miyu broke the silence, "I love you Larva."

((END FLASH BACK))

A tear fell from Larva's cheek the pain of the memory had in fact gotten the best of him. That night 16 years ago, was the night before her death. Perhaps it was their love for each other that killed her. What elts could it have been? Those Shinma that had come that day where from the west and he knew it, that was the true reason he had gone back to Europe, he hoped he could find those Shinma and kill them as brutally as they had killed Miyu.

Why they had killed Yui was no mystery, it was Yui's blood that had brought Miyu back from the dead years ago. The Shinma probably didn't want to risk any loose ends this time. But in doing this, these Shinma had no idea that the Guardian could be reborn into a different life and a different form. Yet the same twisted fat of destiny would still plague the Guardian.

It would always stay the same, hunt down the Stray Shinma and send them back to the Dark. Give no mercy, be close with no one, stay out of mortal affairs, and stay clear of humans. Those where the rules, it was do your job or be killed. Miyu had broken all those rules at least once over the years Larva had stayed at her side. Human contact was believed to make you let down your guard this almost killed Miyu once. As for companionship, that was forbidden. In the history of the Guardians the number one thing that killed them was the lust for companionship. This had been the cause of Miyu's death. Her love for Larva.

And now, now Miyu's incarnate had been found. Larva had swore then and there that he would protect this Aira with his life. It was all he felt he could do to make up everything up to Miyu. They would find her and he would watch over her and protect her from all the Shinma that came near her. This was Miyu's new life, Aira probably had everything Miyu had ever wanted, a family, and friends, being mortal and completely oblivious to the world that was the Shinma. He would let her stay human as long as he could. Perhaps he could kill all the Shinma and she could live her life out in peace, the way Miyu had longed for and was denied.


	7. A Witches Chant

Note to Everyone!: This Chapter is more of an introduction to what Aira and Gina are like around their coven.

**Flame of the Guardians Soul  
****Chapter Six  
A Witches Chant**

Shiina sat on a tree branch at the park where Pumpkin had said he would meet him once they had gotten here. It was pretty late at night, and Shiina didn't know if Aira's parents kept the cats in or threw them out for the night. Finally after what felt like ages Shiina saw a streak of orange fur and next thing he knew Pumpkin was next to him.

Shiina nearly fell off the tree because the cat was there so quickly, "Jesus Glacier!" He had practically yelled.

The cat chuckled, "Sorry Shiina, I didn't expect to scare you, or to be so late."

"Why are you so late anyways?" He asked.

"Aira and Gina have a few of their witch friends over. They are doing a few rituals."

"Like a Coven?" He asked, a note of surprise and fear in his voice.

"Kinda," Glacier began, "Aira prefers to remain a Solitary Witch but she does work with other witches from time to time."

"You where watching them?"

He nodded, "But only until Simba showed up, then I came here."

"What," Shiina began, "What kind of ritual are they doing..?"

Glacier blinked in surprise, "It's a ritual where a Wiccan becomes a full witch in a coven."

"Wait you just said that Aira was Solitary."

"I said she prefers to be Solitary, I never said she wasn't in a coven." Glacier looked at Shiina and then asked, "Would you like to go back and watch?"

Shiina blinked, "Is it safe?"

Glacier laughed, "Yes it is very safe!"

"Perhaps we should all go?" Shiina and Glacier looked over to see Ranka, Sen-Jui, Nagi, Larva and Ichiro.

"Well alright," Glacier said, "But you must remain quiet. I don't want to break anything that the girls are doing." Then he leapt from the branch and landed gracefully on the ground.

Shiina hopped down and landed on Larva's head. When Larva grunted Shiina quickly said, "Oops. Sorry, I was aiming for your shoulder."

Glacier lead them threw the back allies of the town until they reached a gorge or a canyon like park. They could all smell smoke from a small fire that was glowing from the bottom of the forest. They started the trip down as Glacier warned them, "It's almost a mile down and you must be so quiet no one, not even the animals here, will know you are watching. I'm risking a lot to bring you all here."

"Why is that?" Ranka asked as she slid over a boulder.

"Rituals like these are planned many months in advance, this one was planned five months ago and it is very complex. If any of the coven losses his or her concentration then the rite will have failed and you'll get on to a very bad start with Aira and Gina."

Larva had many things running threw his mind, he decided it was better to ask some questions now and others later, "I once heard witches do this in the nude... these girls aren't are they?"

Glacier looked at him, "They have before yes, but never in a public zone like this. Aira had to get very special permission from the law here to do this." He said as he jumped over a thorn bush.

"What of witches taking each others blood?" Nagi asked as he helped Ichiro over a dead tree.

"No. This coven doesn't do that because in that area of rites, if one witch casts a spell then the whole coven feels the after shock," he leapt into a tree.

"Why did you agree to show us this?" Sen-Jui asked as he picked his way threw the sagebrush.

"Because, I believe that you will need this information to get close to Aira and Gina once Simba and I enroll two of you into their schools." When the others looked at him in surprise he added, "Aira isn't very social with people she doesn't know and it takes a lot to gain her trust. If one of you goes to her school and shows an interest in the craft you'll get closer to her faster."

"What about Gina?" Nagi asked.

"You could move in next door to her and she'd come to meet you. But school is a better plan," he said.

"But who would go to which school?" Sen-Jui asked.

"Oh that's easy," Glacier said, "Ranka you'll be going to school with Aira and Sen-Jui you'll be going to school with Gina."

"What?" They both said in union.

"What? You two are the only ones who can really pass for High School students," then he stopped, "I can hear them now, so no more talking." Everyone fell silent and as they got closer the smell of the smoke from the fire got stronger. Mixed in with the sent of the smoke was the smell of roses, Basil, Witch Hazel, Bay, Dill, Sage, and Willow leafs. It gave out a rich smell, there was also a scent of blood but it was very faint.

As they drew closer music could be heard, beautiful piano music, then laugher and other voices could be heard. The closer they got the more their senses picked up on things, the trees felt different as did the ground. Smell and sound became sharper and more active, they could taste pumpkin pie even from its faint scent. Finally they could see figures of girls and a few boys moving about by the bon fire. All had marks on their bodies from paint, like tattoos, perhaps they showed their rank or specialty in the coven.

Finally Glacier had them stop and he went out to join the coven as the rest of them crouched to the ground and watched them all silently. The members of the coven where dressed in a strange fashion. Some of them wore colors while the majority of them wore white, both with robes. Larva guessed it showed a rank at first but then he remembered something about large covens he had heard from Pasazu. Witches have a color code system with the four basic elements of earth, air, fire and water and that those who had high power over these elements often wore a cloak or other clothing to prove it in major events. What could be more major than welcoming a new member? Magic was a very odd thing to Larva, shinma never used it, and most feared it. If he was going to protect Aira though, he would have to get used to it.

Then the music began to dim as two boys led a young girl with red hair in a gray gown to the fire where she sat on a boulder and seemed to be waiting for something or someone. It was just after she sat down that the music stopped entirely and the coven members gathered around the girl and the fire in a cercal. Their heads turned and the others saw two girls enter the cercal, one with curly brown hair who wore a robe of gold and green, the other with long blond hair who wore a robe of silver and red.

_Aira and Gina_, Larva thought. For both girls matched the description completely.

The burnet, Gina, presented the young red head with a large golden goblet and said in a calm voice, "This goblet contains great magic from all those who have tasted from it," she handed it to the girl who took it carefully into her hands. "Drink from the goblet and state thine name."

The girl took a sip from the golden goblet and said, nervously, "I am Magen Whiter." Gina then took the goblet back from Magen and now it was Aira's turn.

Aira pulled out a sharp silver dagger and held it up to Megan's chest, "We now know of thine birth name, now give us thine sacred name."

Megan flinched slightly when the dagger touched her chest, "Maiden Moura."

"Maiden Moura, do thou swear on thine life and thine honor to the Goddess that thou shall obey all rules and laws as they have been written by the brothers and sisters whom have come before thee?"

"I swear to obey all laws and rules to honor my kin and the Goddess."

"What doth thou promise to do for thine kin?"

"To provide an ever growing knowledge of the world around us. Never reveal our secrets outside rituals. And to take responsibility for my own acts."

Aira lowered the blade, "Remember the rules and laws well. We all are servants to the Goddess and her God. They can give to us and they can take from us. As say's our most powerful law of three."

Gina stepped forward, "Everyone of you has taken this rite to pass as our kin and kith. Now head these last words well."

Aira and Gina spoke almost as if they where one, "Thou only gets what thou doth earn. Consult with the coven before using magic for anything. Traitors to the coven are dealt with on sight. Lawbreakers shall be banished. And always think of one another as a brother or sister. As we say it so mot it be!"

The coven broke into cheers and a young man with blond-brown hair presented something to Aira and Gina. It was Gina who spoke, "Maiden Moura," she said and then resented her with a pentagram, "This is the sign of thine people. Wear it with pride and fill it with thine magic and desires." She then put the necklace around Megan's neck.

Aira then handed her a dagger, "This is thine anthem, the very one which thou have sworn by blood to obey the laws and help thine kith and kin." Megan took the anthem and bowed her head. Aira smiled then, "Welcome to the Service of the Goddess, Maiden Moura." Magen gave a slight bow with a happy smile on her face.

The coven band then began to play the music again and everyone began to dance. The music was joyful and pure, the tune reminded Larva of something he had heard on a radio one night before the Bird Shinma, Chisato, had tried to kill Miyu. Still he knew he had to stop dwelling on the past, yet as he watched Aira dance with her coven he could see much of Miyu's moves in her. It was all he could do to keep his memories of those last few days he had with her out of his mind.

Ranka had seen many rites performed by covens in Japan, but she had never seen one like this. Normally the covens she had seen always contained members of the same sex only. This was the first she had ever seen with a mix variety, yet she could feel a very weak shinma aura. It was close she knew, but it was far too weak to worry about or even to mentally tell the others. She shrugged it off and went back to watching the girls' dance, the way they all moved, not just Aira and Gina, was all in rhythm of the music. Almost as if it had been made for the music.

Nagi watched Gina with every ounce of attention he had. She didn't look like Yui, but the way that she moved and acted so far, made it more than crystal clear who's incarnate she was. The only problem now was all the memories that where attempting to break threw his concentration and he couldn't let that start up again. They had been able to penetrate his mind on the ship, which has caused his emotions to show badly, he wasn't going to do that now. The others may think him weak. He would just have to wait a little longer, he had waited 16 years, and he could wait a few more days.

Sen-Jui didn't know what to think of the girls or their coven. Yui had been his best friend, when she died he was so miserable. Now that he was here in a completely different country looking at a 16 year-old girl who was the incarnate of his best friend. And tomorrow he would be at the same school as she was, and this was definitely going to be a table-turn.

Ichiro was confused, he had never seen any witch covens in his whole life. He could remember his mother telling him stories of powerful witches but no one in his family had ever seen one. Why Miyu and Yui had chosen to come back as witches was a mystery to him and probably would be until the day he would die. He knew that it would be a while before anything in this place would make sense.

Shiina sat on the boulder that had become his seat and watched the girls and the coven they belonged to with all the attention he could bring up at this time of the night. He hadn't been up this late in 16 years. It was strange and yet not at the same time. As he watched the girls he had been able to see into their heads. Gina was a lot like Yui in mostly every aspect, Nagi would be happy to know he wouldn't have to change much about himself to please her. However, Larva was in for a rude awakening when he would meet Aira for the first time up to her face. Aira was _not_ Miyu from anything Shiina could see.

Tomorrow would be very interesting once Ranka and Sen-Jui met Aira and Gina.


	8. A Dream

Note: This chapter contains lines of the poem _A Dream _by Edger Allen Poe. And I realize this chapter is kinda short but hey, I can only think of so much in one night.

**Flame of the Guardians Soul  
**Chapter Seven  
A Dream

Ranka looked at the outfit Glacier and sent her. It was quiet odd, nothing like what she had ever worn before. In Japan she had only needed her kimono or the occasional school uniform, never something like this. The outfit was a black shirt with a pirate symbol on it with red jeans and black boots, not really her style at all, but she didn't have much choice.

Glacier had told her that school started at 7:30 a.m. that was much earlier than Ranka had felt like waking up, but for the sake of seeing this thing threw she had to. She was just great full that she didn't have to wake up when Sen-Jui did for Gina's school started at 6:45 a.m. sharp. She had remembered Glacier telling them both that they had to be on their toes, because Shinma from all over the globe where in both schools and that they didn't know they'd be at school with the guardian incarnate.

After she had dressed Ranka went out to see if the boys where still asleep. To her surprise, the only one who wasn't sleeping was Larva. Ranka walked over to his side, "How long have you been awake?" She asked.

Larva blinked as though she had knocked him from a trance, he then looked down at the gothic Ranka, "I never went to sleep," he said calmly.

"Larva," Ranka said in slight surprise, "You need to get some rest if you are to get through this thing. Remember what Glacier said?"

"I remember," he replied, "Aira is not much like Miyu, I know that. I just..." he trailed off.

_You just want to be the Guardian's protector again to prevent another horrid death for a soul_, Ranka thought. She had arrived too late to see how Miyu had died, but it had vexed Larva in a way she never could have imagined. She could see the cycles under his eyes from the lack of sleep. She guessed he didn't even sleep when they where on the boat. She glanced over at the clock, "I better get going, and you should get some rest." She turned and headed to the door.

Larva let out a sigh and said in a calm voice, "In visions of the dark night I have dreamed of joy departed..."

Ranka had stopped she knew that poem. She turned to look at Larva but it seemed that he was now back in the trance she had woken him from just moments ago. There was nothing she could say to him now, thus she simply nodded her head and left the hotel room.

Larva starred out the window at the braking of the dawn. _But a waking dream of life and light hath left me broken-hearted._ He thought as he remembered the poem he had read as a small child. What was going to happen now? They had found the incarnations and Larva had vowed to himself years ago that he would find and protect the Guardian who would take Miyu's place at the throne of destiny. He gave a heavy sigh and went to the couch across from the television, he had nothing elts to do so he thought he might as well see what things are like in America.

Ranka looked at the schedule she had for the time she would be here. Her first period would be French One. _Why does a Guardian want to take a french class_? Ranka thought. She entered the French room just as the teacher was calling roll.

Miss. Petty looked up at Ranka, "Can I help you miss?" Ranka handed her the paper, "Oh! You're my new student, why don't you take a seat next to Aira over there?"

_Perfect_, Ranka thought. She walked over and sat beside Aira, she looked over to see what Aira was doing and was surprised to see a picture of something that looked like the Grim Reaper. Ranka looked at the drawing and was surprised to see that the grim reaper looked like Larva. Never the less she took her seat and the long class of French One began.

Sen-Jui didn't quiet know what to think West High School was a large and vast place. His schedule had been made to match Gina's own, yet he was still incredibly lost. Once he was going to ask a teacher for help but the teacher was occupied with a fight that suddenly broke out in the middle of the hall way. Apparently this school was a violent one.

He was getting more and more lost by the second when he turned around and bumped into a girl. "Oh I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"It's alright," the girl said. She had ivory hair, brown eyes and was just a little taller than Ranka. Wait! He had seen her last night at that coven-gathering thing! "You're new here aren't you?"

"Yeah. My name is Sen-Jui, I'm and exchange student from Japan."

"Really?" The girl asked, "I didn't know that we'd get exchange students so soon in the year. That's kinda cool," She blinked and slapped herself, "I'm an idiot, sorry, my name is Vans."

"It's nice to meet you Vans," he said and offered his hand.

Vans smiled and shook his hand lightly, "It's nice to meet you too."

"Hey um, do you think you could help me find my classes?" He asked, "I'm really lost here."

"It's easy to get lost here," Vans said, "Let me see your schedule." He handed it to her and she blinked, "Hey you've first period with me and Gina!" She said surprised.

"Well how about that?" He said trying to sound surprised.

"No kidding." She replied with a smile, "Now come on and I'll take you to class before we're late and marked down as a sluff." She took him by the arm and led him up a flight of stairs into a chemistry classroom.

"What's a sluff?" He asked her as soon as they where done running.

"It's when you ditch class," She replied.

"Oh." He said. It was then that he saw Gina enter the room along with the old teacher. The bell rang and class began.

When French Class got out, it was time to head over to art class. Ranka had never really been good at art, but then again maybe no one would realize this. The teacher had welcomed Ranka with open arms and Aira had found it strange that Ranka had the same period as she did again. Ranka then asked the teacher what the project was and Miss. Badly told the whole class yet again.

"The project is to select a poem from one of the poetry books by the paint over there," She pointed at the wooden shelf with at least twenty books on poetry by famous poets. "And to compose a drawing with the colored pencils from it. You think you can do that?" She asked Ranka.

"I will try to do my best," she answered truthfully.

"Why don't you sit by Aira then? She's one of my best students and she could help you in any way you needed."

"Thank you," Ranka said and took her paper from Miss. Badly and sat beside Aira.

For the first time in one day Aira turned and looked at Ranka, and spoke, "Teachers seem to like sitting you next to me, don't they?" She said.

Ranka blinked, "It would seem so," she paused and then continued, "My name is Ranka. What's yours?"

"I'm Aira, but my friends call me Kitten." She said.

"Which do you rather I call you by?" Ranka asked.

"Either or," Aira replied, "You need help with a poem?" she asked.

"No, I already have a poem picked out." She said.

"Oh? Which one?"

"It's called _A Bird Came Down_. It's by Emily Dickinson."

"I like that poem," Aira said.

Ranka smiled softly, then she looked at the picture that Aira was working on. It was a dark one. With purple-gray clouds, a figure with blue eyes that seemed to be crying water at first then it formed into blood and dripped onto a heart, and she was working on something that Ranka thought was light. "What is your poem?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh!" Aira said as though she had just come out of a trance, "It's _A Dream_ by Edger Allan Poe."

Ranka was surprised. Aira didn't act like Miyu for the moment but she was sertenly on the same wavelength that Larva had been that morning. Perhaps there was more to this than meets the eye, and perhaps Ranka was just imagining things.


	9. Lunch Time!

Authors not:: Okay FYI I was writing the rough up of this chapter during my lunch at school, so there are a few odd things in here. Such as the song's you'll read, I don't know the name of the first one really because I HATE rap & hip-hop. But the other's are by The Bloodhound Gang—yes I know I use them a lot, but I like them—and a few from Rob Zombie. Enjoy!

**Flame of the Guardians Soul  
**Chapter Eight  
Lunch Time! 

Art class was now over for the day, now it was time for step two. "Aira?" Ranka asked before Aira was able to leave the classroom.

"Yeah Ranka?" She replied turning to face her.

"Um, I was wondering if I could join you for lunch?" Ranka asked with a deep sense of hope.

Aira shrugged, "Sure, but I warn you my group may scare you."

"I doubt that," Ranka replied as she followed Aira to the lunchroom. The whole time Ranka followed her he kept feeling like she was following a tiger to it's den. It was a strange feeling that she had never gotten from Miyu before. She was interested to see what Aira would be able to do once the vampiric blood awoke in her veins. But how long would that be? Glacier had not told them and no trace of vampire lingered around Aira at this time and she was nearly an adult. Where awakenings different in America?

They entered the incredibly crowed lunchroom and a girl with brown hair called from a table, "Sissy!"

"What?!" Aira asked with a slight annoyance in her voice. Ranka followed her to the table; she then recognized a few of the people from the ritual last night.

"Rachel and I have a bet," the girl began, "A Were Wolf and a Lyken are two completely different creatures, aren't they?" A smirk grew across the girls face.

Aira raised an eyebrow, "They are the same thing," when the girl looked surprised Aira continued, "Jessie you saw Underworld you idiot! A Lyken is a breed of were wolf, just one with hardly any fur."

"What?" Jessie replied. Apparently she did not want to be corrected on a topic she believed to know best. "But… but."

"But what?" Rachel asked, looking at Jessie with a large smirk of amusement on her face.

"Oh come one Jessie," a girl with very short back hair began, "It's not like you've never done this before."

"Oh shut up Ally!" Jessie spat.

Aira giggled and then, "Everyone, this is Ranka, she will be our new person at the table of doom!"

Ranka blinked, "Um hello."

"Ranka, this is Jessie, Rachel, Ally, guy-Kelly, girl-Kelli ((MiyuT yes I do have friends like that)), Brandon, Tawny, Steff, Ellse, Tony, and Robyn," Aira finished.

_The other members must go to different schools_, Ranka thought, "It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Then an odd voice to their right sang, "From the windows! To the walls!" Ranka looked to see a boy with short dirty blond hair in a Silence of the Lamb shirt, who had song it, then the one name Tony chough on.

"To the sweat drop down my balls! All these bitches crawl!" BAM!

Ellse had just hit Tony on the head, "You need to stop doing that!"

"Oh yeah, that's Allen," Aira said as she shook her head, "Tony you and Allen need to do that for the Talent Show, it will be just as great as the whole 'you can kiss my big fat hairy ass' thing last year." The whole table roared in laughter.

"Oh god!" Rachel said, "I will never forget that!"

"We owe so much of that day to Ein!" Kelly said, "I can't believe that only gave him OSS for showing his ass-crack to the whole Student Body and then some."

"Yeah but the bastard got us all in Mr. Yuri's office for suspicion," Tawny stated.

Ranka had a very confused look on her face, "What exactly happened?"

"Our friend Ein got into the Senior Talent Show last year by originally singing Men in Black, but when he got on stage," Brandon paused for a chuckle, "He began to sing 'you can kiss my ass! My big fat hairy ass!' then he mooned the whole school."

"Oh… my," Ranka covered her mouth with a slight giggle. That would have been so funny no matter who you are.

"Yes it was great, it was the talk of the school for about a month and a half." Aira stated with a smirk on her face.

"Hey sissy," Rachel said.

"Yeah?" Aira replied.

"Guess what's stuck in my head?"

"Uh oh…what?"

Rachel smirked, "The one part the Fuehrer the one part the Pope…"

"It's the inevitable return baby of the Great White Dope!" Aira finished.

"God!" Jessie roared, "That song is so annoying!"

Aira smirked, "I hope ya flip some guy the bird, he cuts you off and you're forced to swerve, in front of the Beatles' tour bus."

Then they all began to sing, save for Ranka, "A Bookmobile and a Mack truck, hauling hazardous biological waste! The light turns red you have no brakes! And "Hard Copy" gets it all on tape so you can see the look on your face!" But most of the girls just couldn't stop laughing so the song had to end.

It was then that the bell rang to go to class.

"Aira?" Ranka began.

"Yeah?" She replied.

"Do you think you could give me a ride home?"

"Sure, I can do that."

Ranka smiled, "Thank you."

Aira smiled back, a smile that Miyu always gave, "No problem."

"You think you can survive Sissy's driving?" Tony asked as he left the cafeteria for the hallway.

Aira twitched and grabbed his backpack and yanked him backswords, "Just what in the seven layers of fuckin' hell does THAT mean?"

"I love you Sissy," Tony said in a pleading tone.

"Uh huh, sure," Aira said before letting go.

History class wasn't anything special to Ranka. The teacher Mrs. Hollenger was pretty funny, she wouldn't let anyone in her class say the words sucks, pissed, shut up, or any swear words. If you where caught she made you give her ten push-ups. Seven different people had to do that threw the cores of the class. They had to take notes while watching a movie about the American Revolution. Ranka already knew a few things on that topic so that was a breeze for her. When she glanced over to Aira she found that she was drawing a picture of what Ranka guessed to be a were wolf of sorts.

Then came Ceramics class but when they entered the class Aira rolled her eyes and walked back out, Ranka followed her, "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Our teacher isn't here and my project is done, I'm ditchin' today. Wanna come?" Aira said simply as she made her way to the doors of the outside.

_I must keep an eye on her_, "Sure, why not?" She answered, "But where would we go?"

"To West High," Aira began as her and Ranka slipped out the front door and began to walk to the parking lot.

_Sen-Jui is there_, "But why and where is that?" She asked, as she followed Aira to a Yellow Bug (car).

"Gina is there, she usually ditches during lunch when her P.E class is next," Airs said as she unlocked the car, "She'll be out by the football field with Vans and Kaity."

"Oh," Ranka opened the door and got in the car, which smelled richly of Dragon's Blood. "Won't we get caught?"

"No," Aira replied as she started the car, "If we do then just say that we're from out of town." She backed the car up and drove out of the parking lot. "Besides, Samhain is only 45 days away. Gina and I need to plan out our Ritual's and stuff."

"Samhain?" Ranka asked.

"Halloween," she said turning the car to the right and driving down Beat digger Blv.

"Oh, you must be a Wiccan I guess?"

Aira nodded, "Yes I am." She reached for her radio when they reached a red light. "Oh, you don't mind if I turn the radio on, do you?"

"No go ahead," Ranka replied.

"Thanks, hope you don't mind Rob Zombie." The radio started to play some very heavy music.

"Who?" Ranka asked.

"Oh yeah, I forgot you're not from here. Oops."

_Dead I am the one, exterminating son. Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze. Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry, As they slowly turn, conquering the worm._

They drove down Main Street, Ranka was telling Aira about Japan and what it was like there. And Airs was asking so many questions about the mythology. Ranka began to wonder if Shiina had seen right, was this girl truly Miyu's incarnate? Why would Miyu want to be like this?

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! _

Soon they turned onto 9000th South and soon they where on the freeway. Making their way downtown.

_Dead I am the pool, spreading from the fool. Weak and want you need, nowhere as you bleed. Dead I am the rat, feast upon the cat. Tender is the fur, dying as you purr._

They drove almost 70 miles on the freeway as they made their way past 7200 south and past over what was tilted belt rout.

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! _

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula!_

A thought crept into Ranka's mind. What if Miyu no Aira did not have the blood of a Guardian in her veins? What if this time around she would be human and live her life out with other humans? And why? Because Miyu hated being a vampire, a voice in the back of Ranka's head told her.

_Do it baby, do it baby, do it baby, do it baby! Burn like an animal! Dead I am the life, dig into the skin! Knuckle crack the bone, 21 to win! Dead I am the dog, hound of hell you cry! Devil on your back, I can never die!_

They past 5400th South and an animal shelter that was showing pictures of all their animals' people could buy on a screen. Not far from a Zims Craft store.

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula!_

A few moments later they where off the freeway and downtown. They drove past several hotels and many people. Aira turned left and drove down State Street about five blocks before they past the two malls that had been built across the street from each other.

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Do it baby, do it baby, do it baby, do it baby! Burn like an animal!_

They turned right when they came to Temple Square and drove for another five blocks before Aira turned right again until they came to 300 West and Ranka set her eyes upon West High.

_Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Dig through the ditches burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula! Do it baby, do it baby, do it baby, do it baby! Burn like an animal!_

Miyu Tiggress Speaks:: gee that only took me a whole week to right. Anyways, I need help with my next chapter. I cannot decide if Aira and Gina should meet Larva and Nagi at one of the malls or if they meet at a concert Aira will be performing in. No I cannot tell you what type of concert other than it's a dance concert. Why? It will give some stuff away about her.


	10. An alliance with a twist

**Important Authors Not:** One of my friends pointed out that I've neglected the evil ones of my story. So I decided to make this chapter all about what they are up to. **AND I STILL NEED OPINIONS FOR CHAPTER TEN YOU SILLY PEOPLE!!** Enjoy. And this chapter is short because I can make it that way so HA!

**Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
**Chapter Nine  
An alliance with a twist

Days had passed by since Larva had slapped her. Her cheek still stung in pain, she held her cheek as she starred across the balcony to the sea. _How… how could he do that to me?_ She thought. _I am his family and the only one he has. I could have had him killed when he returned to us but my love of him got in my way._ She shook her head fiercely, _there has to be a way to make him love me!_

"Lady Carula," A voice said. She turned to see a Shinma named Charles. "You and Lord Lemures have a visitor."

She raised an eyebrow, "A visitor?" She turned to face him, "Who is it?"

"She called herself Reiha," he said before leaving.

"Reiha," she repeated to herself. The name sounded Japanese, who was this Reiha? Carula pulled herself from the balcony and out of her room. She turned and saw Lemures coming down the hall. "Lemures," she called.

He looked up, "Carula," he said, walking up to her. "I suppose Charles had told you of our visitor?"

She nodded, "Yes. Reiha sound like a Japanese name to me, you think it is another friend of the guardian?"

He shook his head, "No I do not."

"How can you be so sure?" She asked him.

"Because we did not encounter anyone with that name when we went there for Larva 18 years ago (before Miyu died)."

"You do have a point," she looked down the hallway, "Come we must not keep our guest waiting." Lemures nodded and followed her down the hallway and to the flight of stairs.

Carula starred down at a girl who looked to be nothing more than a child, what was it with the shinma in Japan looking just like children. Was it to make their attackers think them weak? Lemures lead the way down the stairs and was the first to speak, "Reiha is it?" He asked her.

She nodded, "Yes, my name is Reiha. I'm an Ice Shinma-Witch."

"To what do we owe this visit from a Japanese Shinma?" Carula asked with a very disgusted look upon her face.

Reiha glared at her, "I am no conmen Shinma!" She announced angrily, "And I have no traveled thousands of miles to be insulted by a Western Shinma _child_ such as yourself!"

"How dare you!" Carula bellowed.

"Carula that is enough!" Lemures commanded. The girl gave a snort, turning her head to the side with her eyes closed. Lemures, on the other hand, looked at Reiha, "I must apologies for her behavior. She is not always so improper to our guests."

"She has a desperate need for manors to her elders," Reiha smiled when Carula twitched.

Lemures nodded, it was unusual for him to agree with any non-western shinma but he found this one might be different. "And to what do we owe the pleasure of your company?"

"I have come to strike a bargain with the Shinma of Europe," She began, "I shall give you all the information you need an the new Guardian's whereabouts so long as you keep your fellow Shinma out of Japan."

"Really?" Lemures raised an eye brow, "And just what is in this for you?" He asked.

A sly smirk came across her face, "Knowing the simple fact that the Guardian incarnate shall be killed before her powers can even think to awaken. What you and Larva could not do Thirty-six years ago, you can now do." She giggled, "You just have four Japanese Shinma and one Western Traitor to stand in your way."

Carula opened her eyes and looked at Reiha. _This bitch will help us if we stay out of her country? I am more than game. Japan is a hideous place._ She thought

Lemures though for a moment, only five things would stand in his way of finishing what he and his ex-best friend would have done thirty-six years ago. This girl held all the answers to questions that had been in his mind the past few days. He looked at her and then calmly said, "Tell us everything you can."

Reiha smiled wickedly, _perfect_.


	11. The Park

Note: Sorry it took so long I'm in the middle of writers block!

Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
Chapter Ten  
The Park 

Larva had followed Ranka's telepathic instructions on how to get to Liberty Park; it was almost in the center of the city. She had told him that they where going there to hang out and decide what to do over the weekend. He found it surprising that in America the student's did not go to school on Saturday or Sunday. He had to literally punch Nagi's lights out in order to get there.

_Stupid Nagi_, he thought. Nagi had thought it best that they lay low until Sen-Jui and Ranka got the girls blood to wake. But it didn't work like that. Aira must wake first if Gina's was to wake, and Nagi just couldn't understand that. Nagi wasn't very smart in the category of vampire blood. Nor how dangerous it was if awoken out of order in incarnations. If Gina woke first it would mean Aira would stay human forever. _Unless I die for her_, he thought.

When he was young he remembered a story that Pauzue had told him. Shinma were older than vampires, but in a twist of fate, the Shinma had made the vampire. A Shinma had fallen for a human and in hopes to keep the human a live gave the human it's blood, but it didn't turn out as planned. The human took all the blood from the Shinma and became what is now known as a vampire. From that vampire came many more, and one began killing Shinma, giving birth to the Guardians. That breed could mate with humans, creating more of them buy the dozens. Then when the Shinma numbers began to sway, the Bird Shinma became known as the Guardian Slayers. Whole families where killed until Miyu had been declared the last one.

Larva closed his eyes tightly but did not have time to dwell on the matter. The 'tracks' train (light rail system) had come to a stop, causing him to stubble forward a bit. _How the hell does Glacier expect me to walk in these?_ He thought as he looked down at the strange pants he had been given to wear. The pants were baggy and black with dozens of chains hanging from the belt loops and the pockets. As for the rest of his outfit he was presented with leather boots, which had been a pain to get on, and a black t-shirt that had the words 'Godsmack' on the front and on the back it wrote 'Smack this' with a hand giving the motion that everyone who saw it was number one. He had been given skulls for earrings.

The necklace around his neck was a pentagram, at first Larva could not think of a reason to wear the bloody thing until he remembered Aira was a witch. A pentagram would be the first thing she would notice about him. But he knew others stared at him because of the way he looked, for most. It was actually rather amusing, children watched him with wide eyes, and men and women in business suits gave him looks of downright disgust. Yet he hated when young girls looked at him and then giggled almost uncontrollably.

As the train started moving again a voice came overhead, "Next stop Sugar house 900th south." His stop. Larva moved to the door and a small group of about three pathetic giggling girls slowly worked their way over to him. _What an annoyance_, he thought to himself. It wasn't that this never happened before; it was just that it annoyed the hell out of him. Things like this were an occasional occurrence in Europe but because of the bound to Miyu he had never been seen in public in Japan.

Still he got off the train at his stop, the stupid girls following him closely. The park was just across the street but Larva would have to wait for the light to let him walk, _why didn't I just use the shadows to get this far_? He asked himself. Before he could think of an answer he felt a tap on his shoulder, _damn it_, he turned with a slight glare to see who touched him.

"You are really hard to catch up with Larva," It was Ichiro. But he looked like a normal person. His hair was still rather spikey but he wore a pair of black pants, very much like Larva's, and a shirt that said, 'I used to have super powers but my therapist took them.'

"Ichiro," Larva began, "What are you doing here?" He grabbed the were wolf and lead him across the street when the light said they could walk.

Ichiro pulled himself from Larva's hand, "Well Nagi woke up about fifteen minutes after you left, he's pissed as hell for what you did. Shiina's hiding under the bed and I asked Ranka what I should do and she told me to find you."

Larva gave a long sigh, "Alright come on." He really didn't want Ichiro with him but Ranka was in charge so he had to listen to her.

_Alright Ranka_, Larva called out in his mind to her, _you sent the wolf and now I'm here just where are you now?_ He didn't have to wait long for the answer he saw her and Sen-Jui sitting on a hill. Then at once he saw Aira.

"Ah Max," Ranka said looking at Larva, who seemed puzzled at this. _Just play along Larva, if we say your name in the open then shinma will know our mission._ Ranka spoke into his mind.

"Hello Ranka," He replied, "How was your day?" By now Aira was looking at him, a keen interest on her beautiful pale face.

"And I see you brought Ichiro with you. Come over you two and meet some friends I've made."

Larva and Ichiro walked over. "All from school, and shouldn't you still be there?"

"What haven't you ever ditched a class before?" Aira asked as she sat up.

"Well no not really, I attend home school." Ichiro said with a wide grin.

"Home school?" A girl with long curly hair said, Larva guessed it was Gina.

"Yupers! It's the greatest! Although frowned upon in Japan, I don't tend to get along well with others, my werewolf obsession tends to cause odd rumors," He lied.

"You're interested in Lykens?" Aira asked.

"Evil breeds those ones!" Ichiro said and as he did Ranka shot him a warning glare. He gave something away in her mind and he knew it. "Or…so I've read."

Aira just shrugged, "I'm not so interested in were wolfs. I keep to my craft studies." With that she leaned back until she was laying on the grass looking up to the sky.

Larva looked at her and began to study her. He had not the best view of her the night of the ritual and now that he could see her closer he wasn't going to waist this opportunity. Her skin was as pale as Miyu's had been in her vampiric years, but her hair was longer and instead of catching the sun it almost seemed to repel the light with it's own golden shine. Aira's ears had been priced three times on each side, the first one held a star and the other two held back and red roses. A dark blue jacket was tired around her slender waist and her shirt was a black tank top with the eyes and mouth of a jack-o-lantern. Her pants were dark red kept up with a black belt with stars cut into the leather.

Truly she was an American. Yet it was though she held some unknown grace that the naked eye could not see. But her eyes still palled against the beauty that Miyu's held. True they were the deepest green he had ever seen but they did not hold what Miyu's held. They held deep magic.

"So what should we do tonight? Tomorrow is a teacher work day so they can start planning the big Halloween Dance this year." Gina said as she lifted a hand, "I think we should go clubbing."

"You always want to go clubbing Gina," Aira wined, "Besides that we have guests. I don't think they'd enjoy watching your ass cheeks shine every time you step in your so-called mine skirt."

Gina's cheeks turned scarlet, "Would you rather we go to the movies?"

Aira gave a surprisingly dark laugh, "Oh yes! As much as I would enjoy tormenting you by dragging you to the theater I had to say there is nothing good coming until December second."

"And what would that be?" Sen-Jui asked as he glanced at her.

"Well," she sat up "That would be Underworld Evolution. Or Underworld Two. Whatever frosts your snowman."

"Underworld Evolution?" Ichiro asked. "What's that about?"

A smile came across Aira's lips, "A war between were wolves and vampires."

"Uhh…okay?" Ichiro looked around.

"Well no movies, no clubbing, what elts?" Gina asked her brown eyes fixed on her friend.

"I need to put gas in my car, after that we can show our friends around. You know terrorize the town." The smile turned into a smirk.

"That or shopping, what would you all like to do?" Gina asked as she looked at the others. "We sit here and you three stay quiet…it's really weird."

Ranka smiled, "I'd love to see the town. Maybe buy something for my mother."

Ichiro, "You have a car?" He stared at Aira who started to laugh again.

"Sounds like we do both," Sen-Jui said a simple smile on his face.

"What about you Max?" Aira said as she turned to face Larva, "Care to join us to hide from your little fan club?"

"Hm?" Larva turned and saw the three girls giggle and wave at him as they sat on a yellow volts wagon.

"Hold the fucking phone," Aira said as she walked past Larva and towards the girls, "Get your skinny ass' off my car you giggling nymphomaniacs!"

"Oh gods have mercy on their souls," Gina said.

The girls gave Aira looks of disgust before they slid off her car. Before glancing at a glaring Larva they walked off, flipping their hair.


	12. Singing Cricket

Authors Not: Sorry for the delay, school is a bitch.

Flame of the Guardians Soul  
Chapter Eleven  
Singing Cricket 

Larva was surprised that they had been able to fit everyone in the small car. But they had done it. Aira and Gina were in the front, he was just behind Gina, Ichiro and Sen-Jui was squished in the middle and Ranka was behind Aira. They drove out and he caught a glimpse of those girls from earlier watching them with sour faces. The day seemed much more pleasant that he thought.

"Well it's still early, anyone hungry?" Gina asked as she looked back at the others who nodded. Her attention then went back to Aira; "Well you're the one who's driving, where shall we take them?"

She thought for a moment, "Well I can flip a bitch and we can take them to the Singing Cricket Café in the Dancing Crain?"

"Such fancy names," Ichiro said.

Aira giggled, "Yes but the Dancing Crain is an import store, they import things from all over the world and as part of that they have a restaurant that gives wonderful gourmet food from all over the world," she stopped at a traffic light, "So we going or do you was pizza instead?"

"I'm not found of pizza," Ranka said.

Sen-Jui spoke next, "I could go either way."

"I want pizza!" Ichiro said loudly.

"I'd like the Cricket," Gina protested.

Aira looked back at Larva a smile on her face, "Your call, Max."

Larva blinked, _I'll have to get used to this_ "Well I wouldn't mind the Singing Cricket I'm not a big pizza fan."

Aira nodded, "To the Singing Cricket Café we go!" She made a U-turn causing a car to honk its horn at her and she drove down the street. "So where is the other guy you told me about Ranka? That Nagi dude, I thought I'd meet him once I saw Max."

Ranka turned her head to Larva who said, "Well he and I had a bit of a fight before I left…"

Ranka frowned, "He shall be wonderful to deal with later on…"

Aira handed her cell phone to Gina who handed it to Ranka, "Call him and see where he is. We can pick him up."

Ranka held the phone and looked at Aira, "Can you really fit one more in here?"

Giggling she responded, "I've had twelve people and three cats in here at once, I can fit one more."

Ranka giggled, however she knew the phone wouldn't be needed, but she also knew they couldn't expose themselves just yet. Still she dialed the number to the hotel, asked the desk clerk to link them to their room and to her surprise Shiina answered.

"Hi Nagi, it's Ranka, please meet us in the lobby we have been invited to dinner with some new friends."

"I'll let him know," Shiina said before hanging up.

"He will be waiting for us," Ranka said as she handed Aira the phone back.

Taking the phone she asked, "Which hotel are you staying at?"

"The Little America," Ichiro said with his face against the window, looking out at the city.

"My mom works there!" Gina said in a happy voice.

"Cool we can talk to her about getting you out of babysitting on Samhain," Aira said.

"Samhain?" Larva asked, he knew what it was but thought he better play stupid.

"Samhain is the real name for Halloween," she smiled at him threw the mirror. And that smile threw him back, such mystery behind it he could not explain. He had seen it only a few times on Miyu.

And a smile on Miyu was a rare thing. Almost nonexistent. Again his memories took him away from the world of the now...

It was shortly after the incident with Yuma, Miyu had let her go to Larva's surprise. She was playing with one of the orbs from the trees that grew in her land. As he wrapped his arm around her he felt her lean back against him a sigh escaping her lips. She seemed troubled, "Miyu?"

"Larva… what is it in vampire blood that enables me to grow old?" She asked it so softly he barley heard her but still the question caught him off-guard.

"Why do you ask?" He looked at her threw the mask.

"I saw an elderly couple at the graveyard this afternoon. They where looking at the grave of a child, and crying. But the man said they'd be with him soon..." she looked at him, "What keeps me from aging?"

This pained him, "I do not know Miyu. I wish I did."

She looked down and then back up, "Larva what's a bitch?"

That one really took him for a loop, "Sorry?"

"One of the boys at school called me a bitch, what is a bitch?" She asked again.

"A bitch is an insult given to a woman who will not listen to a man. I think the boy was insulted by you for not doing something," he replied.

A smile came to her face, "you're right. I don't listen to boys. And you're the only man I know."

As he looked at her smiling face changed and the next thing he knew he was looking at Aira and she at him.

"Do you zone out often?" She asked.

It was then he realized that it was only them in the car, "where are the others?"

"Gina had to go to the ladies room and the others went to get Nagi," she replied.

He nodded, "Well to answer your question, no I don't zone out often. I didn't mean to."

Her smile seemed to warm, "It's alright. Everyone is prone to day dreaming."

A long moment of silence passed between them and Larva found all he was able to do was look at those emerald eyes. They entranced him more so it seemed than the golden ones he was used to seeing. It seemed for a moment that his memories would take him back again but then…

A finger suddenly appeared pointing in his face and he saw a black eyed Nagi angrily starring at him. "You ass hole!"

"You asked for it," Larva said his eyes narrowing.

Nagi was about to strike when he received a swift kick in the gut by Aira, "Listen to me boys, there will be no fighting in or around my car unless I'm the one doing the fight."

Nagi nodded as the other all came out laughing from a different conversation. And it was Gina who spoke next, "Hey Air mom gave me the parking pass, you want to park the car and meet us back here? We can walk to the Crain."

Aira nodded, "Alright," then she looked back at Larva, "Want to stay with them or hop up front?"

Larva blinked at the question but he got out of the back seat and took the front seat, not wanting to be with the others and he would take any chance he could to be with Aira. He looked over to see her smiling with the parking pass in her hand; she then started the car and drove around the corner. She slid the pass into the reader slip and took it out as she drove into the underground lot. "So what part of Europe are you from? Ranka said you two where adopted?"

Good lie, he thought, "I'm from England. I know I don't sound like it, Ranka and I where adopted at a young age and we've called Japan home for a long time but we are thinking of moving here."

"Really?" She parked the car, "Maybe I can help you guys find a house?" She looked at him.

He smiled for the first time in years, "That would be nice."

"Then I shall do that," She parked the car and turned it off. Both of them got out of the car and Larva walked over to stand beside Aira then he followed her out of the lot. As he followed her that sense of familiarity came back to him, he was following Miyu again it seemed, but he knew it was Aira. They reached the others, Nagi still steaming, at least until Gina looked at him.

She said then with a smile, "Oh come on, so he gave you a black eye at least you're still hansom and alive." Then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"You are such a flirt," Aira said under her breath. Larva agreed silently, apparently in this life Yui or rather Gina had chosen to be far more outgoing.

Gina turned to Aira and Larva, "Don't you two look cute next to one another?"

"Gina shut up."

After a few bickering words between the girls they all started their way down the busy streets of the city and after a few blocks they came to a large building with the worlds Dancing Crain Imports in bronze on the top of the building, and a sign out by the door that said, The Singing Cricket Café. So they came to the right place, Larva opened the door for everyone as Nagi stepped in the two glared at each other. "Boys," Aira's voice came in a warning tone as she shoved both boys into the front of the vast and breath-taking place.

"Wow," Ichiro said, "This is cool."

"I've never a place like this," Ranka added.

A smile grew on Aira's lips "We can look around a bit after we are finished eating the place doesn't close until ten."

"I think we should," Larva said. His eyes where drawn to the stones and bamboo that lay in a large fountain.

Their waiter lead them to a large table in the back, the place was very elegant. The chairs they sat on where made of bamboo stems and had soft silk pillows fashioned from the Middle East against the backs of the chair. The wall where mirrors lined with false ivy vines, and on each table there was a statue of some kind, the one of their table was an elephant. Even the music they played was enchanting it reminded Larva of grand parties in the savage worlds he used to conquer for his comrades in Europe.

Sen-Jui was in aw, "This place is gorgeous."

"Well the owner loves the different cultures of the world," Gina said, "Before he bought this place it was a fabric store. One of the best but now it's the biggest import store in the whole county."

"This place pulls in loads of money. Around this part of town are many dance studios for belly dancing, some for the Asian style and a few very high class and _very_ expensive foreign restaurants who buy their table toppings and wall ornaments from this place," Aira added before taking a gulp of her water.

"I'm glade I brought money with me, I may buy a few things here," Ranka said.

The waiter came back with pen and paper, "How are to folks tonight?"

"Fin thanks," Gina said with a smile.

"Oh hi Gina, hi Aira, the usuals I'm guessing?" The waiter smiled.

_Apparently they come here a lot_, Larva thought.

"Yes please," The girls said.

"And how about you?" he turned to the others.

"I think," Ranka began, "I will try your crab cake salad."

"Exigent choice," the waiter said as he wrote it down.

Sen-Jui was next, "I will have the grilled chicken dinner, but is it possible to get vegetables instead of potatoes? I'm allergic."

"Of yes, I will see to that personally. Is there any kind of vegetable you would like?"

"Um," he though, "can I get carrots?"

"Yes, I'll see you get plenty," after he wrote that down he looked to Nagi.

"I would like the stake and pasts please," he said.

"And how would you like your stake?"

"Medium well."

"Okay," he wrote it down, "You sir?"

"I would like the Thai salad please," Larva, said this caused Aira to look at him surprised; he looked at her and said, "They make good salad."

She giggled as she waiter walked away and came back only moments later with the food. The only way to describe the mean was superb. Everything was perfection, especially the company of Aira. The fight over who was paying was rather fun, but in the end Aira won. And after that she and Gina took everyone to see the Dancing Crain.


	13. A Little Surprise

Author Note: So yeah this took a while too and I must forewarn you, in my review page and in a few e-mails I've received about this story everyone wants Larva and Miyu/Aira to get together soon. They will not be _officially_ together for a few more chapters simply because Larva needs to build up her trust and get her love. These things do not happen over night.

There are also some new terms here that are related to the world of Belly Dancing, yes they will be described here but a better definition will be at the end of the chapter.

**Flame of the Guardians Soul**  
Chapter Twelve  
A Little Surprise 

"Boo!" A voice boomed behind Aira.

"Christ!" She jumped and whirled around found the one who scared her and slapped him hard on his left arm, "Damn it Ayden!"

Larva found himself ready to attack but relaxed when he came to the conclusion that this Ayden was a friend of Aira's. He took in the look of this Ayden fellow. He had to be no taller than 5'9 with short and very spikey white hair; he also had bright blue eyes.

"I'm sorry Aira!" He said while flinging his arms like a bird, "I wasn't trying to scare you I swear!"

"Then why the fuck did you sneak up behind her and say boo?" Gina asked.

"Yeah," Aira agreed, "Why did you, you little shit? I have guests!"

"Well uhh I wanted to let you know that your Choli, Riqq, and Zills are here." He covered his head with his arms before she could hit him again.

"Oh is that all?" Aira said putting her hands on her hips, "I suppose my hip scarf is here as well?"

"It is actually," Ayden gave a sheepish smile.

"If you are fibbing I'm going to kick your fucked ass." She warned.

"I'm not I swear," he's eyes found Larva and the others and he blinked, "Wow did you get a boyfriend Aira?" This was responded with a hard smack upside the head.

"ASS HOLE!" She shrieked.

Rubbing his face Ayden said, "God you need to get laid."

That was the wrong thing to say!

Aira delivered Ayden a swift kick in the groin, "Perhaps you should think before you let your fantasies get to you?" While Ayden was on the ground in pain, Aira stepped over him and walked to the back of the store. Larva glanced at Ayden for a moment before he and the others went to join Aira.

Aira led them past a large area on incense and candles before they reached a place with clothing that came from around the world. Larva was surprised and somewhat impressed by the selection. Aira went to speak to a lady behind a small desk with a few small Buddha statues on her desk but Larva's attention was drawn to a few of the European style cloths for men they had out. Though he hated his clan he was still European and dressing the part of his people.

He glanced over and saw Ranka and the others looking at the Asian cloths, it was only right they do so. But his attention then turned to Aira who held a few strange looking cloths in her arms. She walked over to him and said, "You having fun?"

Nodding he asked, "What's that?" He was still looking at the cloths.

"My hip scarf, Choli, Riqq, and Zills." Before he could ask she answered, "I'm a Belly Dancer, Max. These are for my costumes at home."

Larva blinked. _She's a belly dancer?_ He though. This was something that had never crossed his mind and he thought it might be something for the new age of magic she was buying. Dancing wasn't even something he ever saw Miyu do. "So," he began "Do you perform?"

"Yes." She answered at once. "My tribe even has a concert coming up in a few weeks. It's free and open to the public. But don't expect a privet session." Those last words where spoken as if she was warning him.

"I wasn't planning on asking for one," He replied.

"Good."

"Aira why does all your stuff come for belly dancing but I never get my stuff never comes for my school dances?" Gina walked up to them as she spoke.

Aira rolled her eyes, "Because you're is for school. Mine is for my tribe."

"What's the difference?"

"Mine's more important."

Larva thought he better stop this before it got ugly, "Okay why don't you show us around the town some more?"

Aira smiled, "Alright but if you really want that shirt you best buy it."

Larva realized he had been holding on to a Pirate-like shirt the whole time and decided he better buy it so he won't look too stupid. Although he wasn't the only one buying that night, Ranka bought a new kimono, Nagi found a few new ties for his hair, Sen-Jui bought a decent Parka with fish on it, Ichiro found a wolf mask, and then Gina bought a Victorian style dress. Once again they where standing on the sidewalk when Aira asked, "So what now?"

"Well," Gina started, "We've eaten and done a bit of shopping. Non of the clubs have good performances tonight, how about we let hem pick?"

And pick they did. First it was Ranka who asked about the aquarium next it Nagi who wanted to see all of down town, Sen-Jui also wanted to see the aquarium, Ichiro didn't care and Larva wanted to see the Opera House. "Guess it's the aquarium and that's on the other side of town. So that includes Nagi and Sen-Jui's request. Which just leaves the Opera House." Aira said as she leaned back as if to think.

"What?" Gina asked.

"Trying to think of a way to include the Opera House on the way to the aquarium." Aira replied.

"We won't get to either place tonight, it's after midnight, they're closed." Gina said.

"Ah fuck!" Aira said.

"Wait," Ranka began, "Why was the Dancing Crane and Singing Cricket still open if it's after midnight?"

"They are both twenty-four hour places." Gina answered.

"Can we go tomorrow?" Ichiro asked.

Aira nodded, "Yeah we can. The Opera House opens at ten and the aquarium won't open until noon. So if we came by your hotel around nine would that be good?"

Larva nodded, "Yes that would be fine."

Aira smiled at him and they began walking down the street again. As they did Larva found himself fixed on Aira's backside, he continually punched himself mentally but he couldn't help it at the same time. He couldn't do this and was grateful when they reached the hotel and where able to go to there rooms, but before they left they received hugs from the girls and Larva had been surprised at how warm Aira was. Another mental punch came to him before they entered the hotel room.

"How was it?" Shiina asked at once.

"It was fun," Ranka said, "Gina and Aira are really something."

"Aira is a belly dancer." Larva told Shiina.

He blinked, "Well that explains how she stays fit." _Though he was thinking, that'll be fun for you in the bedroom._

Sen-Jui yawned, "Let's get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

Author Speaks: Short yes I know. I'm having a writers block so cut me some slack here. Anyway here are the terms.

Hip Scarf: A triangular piece of cloth with gold or silver coins on it dancers wear on there hips, sometimes over the chest too.

Choli: (Pronounced "CHOH lee".) This is the bare-midriff, fitted blouse worn under saris by women in India. A close fit is the main characteristic of the choli, since it serves both as an undergarment and a blouse for the sari. The specific styling of the choli can vary from one region of India to another. Carolena Nericcio of FatChanceBellyDance in San Francisco popularized use of the choli for belly dance practice outfits and costumes.

Riqq: (Pronounced "reek".) This is the Arabic word for tambourine. It is sometimes spelled Riq or Reque.

Zills: Pronounced "ZILLS".) Sometimes spelled Zils. This is the Turkish name for finger cymbals.


	14. The Painting

Author's note: I'm sure that BlueDragonGirl1 isn't the only one who had this question pop in his or her mind while reading the last chapter but yes, I do belly dance. I was with a troop for a while but the teacher was a flake and a bitch so I left and I'm not taking lessons from DVD's I buy from eBay and areas online.

Flame of the Guardians Soul  
Chapter Thirteen  
The Painting

The warm smell of crêpes awoke Larva from his slumber. Opening his eyes and sitting up he found that crepes wasn't the only thing being served, he saw that someone had brought up eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, fruit and muffins. "Who brought breakfast?" He asked.

"I did," Ranka, answered, "You best get a shirt on at least, it's nearly nine Aira and Gina will be here soon." She was wearing an outfit similar to yesterday only the shirt was yellow with Hello Kitty on it saying 'if I hear the word cute one more time…'

Larva nodded and sat up, he looked at the food again and saw Shiina had buried himself into one of the fruit bowels, "Either we are going to have to hide you or explained why your fur is pink like cotton candy."

Shiina looked up with strawberry juice on his face, "I want to see the girls for myself, just say I got punch spilled on me or something."

Ichiro munched on some bacon and said, "Maybe we can say we spilled paint on you when you where a baby and it just died your fur that way and we've never been able to get it out." He was wearing the same pants as yesterday but the shirt was of a band named Disturbed with a lot of angry looking people raising their fists in the air.

"That might work," Shiina replied before diving back into the bowel of fruit.

Larva chuckled and stood up, "What time is it anyways?"

Ranka glanced to the clock above the television, "It's ten minutes to nine."

"Damn," Larva said, "there goes my shower."

Sen-Jui turned his head from the window, "You can still get in, Nagi should be about done and he likes cold water so you don't have to worry about that part." He was wearing a pair of dark green jeans and a simple white shirt.

He sighed, "No… but I do have to worry about the shampoo and conditioner."

Sen-Jui nodded, "Yeah I forgot about that."

Ranka smiled, "Relax Larva I thought of that already and got you two other of their tiny bottles."

"I owe you one Ranka," he replied.

She shook her head, "Don't worry about it. Besides after we leave and house cleaning comes we get new shampoo and conditioner. I call it so I may shower when we get back."

Nagi walked out of the bathroom in a pair of dark blue jeans, his hair still a bit damp. "Oh so he is awake," He was looking at Larva when he said this.

A smirk crept on to Larva's face, "I see your eye is doing better this morning."

Nagi glared, "No thanks to you."

Larva walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. God Nagi had a problem with keeping a place clean! He had left the water in the tub dripping; there was soap all over the walls, no clean towels, and water on the floor. _What a pig_, Larva thought as he turned the water on. The water felt good against him, soft water, better then what he had back home. He found himself thinking about Aira, not sinfully, but just little things.

Aira was not Miyu. He knew that. But he still found himself wrapped up in those eyes. The golden eyes of Miyu were gone and those enchanting emerald eyes had replaced them. Aira had surly put a spell on him with those eyes as Miyu had thirty-six years ago. How did she do it? _Why does she have to be so intoxicating in any form she takes?_ He asked himself.

Though there where differences to see and find in her personality, Larva wondered if he would find her more or less like Miyu as he spent time with her. So far she was more playful, filled out, and grown than Miyu had been when he had met her. Miyu was a child. Aira was a woman. Did the soul plan it this way?

Larva heard a knock at the door, not the bathroom door but the hotel door. Oh god what time was it? He looked threw the curtains and at the clock on the wall. Five after nine so then Aira and Gina had just arrived. Shit and he wasn't dressed! A soft knock came at the door, "Just me," Ranka said, "I'm bringing you your cloths since our guests have arrived." Then he heard the door close. _Thank god_!

He finished washing himself and then stepped out of the shower and began to dry himself off. Larva looked at the bathroom mirror and wiped the steam-water mix off with a washcloth. He saw his reflection and sighed, he looked like hell, and he wasn't eating enough. _I have to change this today_, he said to himself. Looking around he realized the comb wasn't in the bathroom, _ass hole_, he thought, so instead he dried himself with a towel before slipping his underwear and pants on. He opened the bathroom door and walked out, the cold air felt so good on his hot skin.

"Have a nice shower?" Aira asked with a smile on her face.

He smiled, "Yes I did there's nothing like a nice warm shower to start the day." He turned and looked at her, god she was more stunning than last night. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail but she wore a long red skirt with a black hip scarf around her waist, and a black tank top. Nothing too special, but he did see that pentagram around her neck again.

Another smile came over Aira's face, "Like what you see?"

"Well you do look very nice," Larva replied as he put his white peasant shirt.

"Thanks you, you look dashing yourself." Her attention turned to Shiina, "What the fuck?" Larva turned to see Shiina looking at Aira and then he rubbed against her arm, "Um a pink bunny?" She asked before she started to pet his head.

Ranka giggled, "His name is Shiina, we found him like this. They've actually determined it's the tint of his skin that's actually making the fur look pink; it's actually so fine that his fur is so fine it's nearly transparent."

Aira blinked and Gina said, "Amazing that they let you keep him." She too started petting Shiina who looked like he was in heaven.

Ranka nodded, "Yeah, we take him back to the scientist place ever so often so they can check his health and a few other things. We had to give them quiet the amount of money before they would let us keep him, but they do get to dissect him after he dies."

"What a life," Gina said as she flipped her loose brown hair over her shoulder. She was wearing green shorts and a pink top, "He almost matches the color of my shirt."

"He's adorable!" Aira sounded out.

Nagi sighed, "The rabbit always gets the attention."

Gina giggled, "Aww do you need a hug?" She asked and didn't wait for an answer; she just skipped over and gave him a hug.

"You flirt," Aira murmured under her breath. Larva sighed and picked up the last crepe and started eating it, it was good.

Ranka said, "So where shall we go first today Aira since I'm guessing you are driving?"

Aira nodded, "Yeah I'm the only one who passed drivers ed." She and Gina exchanged annoyed looks, "But I think we can go to the Opera House, by the time we get there it will be open. Then we drive across the town to get to the Aquarium, which will be open by the time we get there. Along the way we can stop for lunch then have dinner later tonight."

Larva nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

Ichiro picked up Shiina and set him on the bed, "Sorry buddy but you can't come with us. No rabbits allowed."

Shiina got a pouty look on his face.

"Aw poor thing, we'll bring you back a carrot or something." Aira said with a soft smile.

Shiina made a happy face after that.

Sen-Jui chuckled, "You made him happy."

Aira shrugged, "What can I say? I'm good with pets.. most pets."

"Most?" Larva asked as he put his shoes on.

"I'm not good with dogs or birds, but I love cats." She gave a sheepish smile.

_There are reasons to hate birds_, Larva thought, "Well don't worry, I'm not one for birds or dogs either. I find them smelly and annoying."

"Thank you!" Aira said, "I'm happy I'm not the only one!"

Larva chuckled, "Well Aira, why don't you lead the way to your car? I think we best get going before the roads get busy."

Aira nodded, "You're right, Max." She looked at the others, "Let's go." She lead them out of the room and down the hall to the elevator, then to the lobby and finally the parking lot. "My car's a bit on the warm side this morning, so if you want just roll the windows down."

Nagi nodded, "We will, Aira."

Gina spoke out, "Who wants shot gun?"

Larva looked at her, "Shot gun?"

"Okay then you get it," Gina said with a smile before her hand found Nagi's.

Aira looked at him, "well get in the front passenger seat."

Blinking he nodded and opened the door, sat down, and closed the door. He buckled his seat belt just as Aira and the others did the same. Larva couldn't help but look at her, "How big is the opera house?"

"Um I think the building itself is on 7.8 acers of land." She replied as she started the car. A few moments later they were out of the parking garage and out on the streets.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining brightly in a clear sky and it just brought a smile to Larva's face. He liked days like this, his friends surrounded days that were just pleasant. As well as someone he was starting to care deeply for. Larva mentally slapped himself, _she isn't Miyu so stop thinking like she is and just focus on protecting her as best you can without falling in love for no reason_. But he looked at her and was almost mesmerized.

Aira felt his stair and looks at him, "What?"

Larva blinked, "Nothing I'm just looking out your window at the shops."

Aira, "Oh." She replied before looking strait ahead again.

Larva turned to look out his own window and began to drift into his own world as he watched the girls on the streets walking by. Watching them made his remember a few times when he would walks down the streets with Miyu. The way she sometimes looked at other girls with envy, she had told him that sometimes she wished that she was taller, more filled out, prettier. She wanted to be more grown up, she didn't want to be fourteen forever.

"Hey Max," Aira's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Yes?" He said as he turned his head to her.

"We are here." She told him as she pointed to the opera house.

"It's beautiful," Ranka said.

Gina smiled, "Wait until you see inside."

Aira nodded as she parked the car, "Oh yeah, the inside is to die for."

They all got out of the car and Larva walked next to Aira as he looked at the opera house. It looked like it was based off a few he had seen as a young boy in Paris. Not the Opera Popular in the _Phantom of the Opera_ but possibly other's. Then he saw what was playing this month and nearly laughed, it was _The Phantom of the Opera_.

"How cool!" Gina said, "Look Aira we should get tickets!"

Aira looked at the poster then at Gina, "I'm not spending money like that to sit and watch a musical-gothic-romance with you for you too swoon over fictional characters." She said firmly before she opened the door and kept it open long enough for everyone to get through.

If the outside was beautiful then the inside was breath taking. It was a Victorian design and just decorated with candleholders and angel faces.

"Wow," Nagi said.

"Wow is right," Sen-Jui agreed as he turned around a few times.

"They spent a full two years just making this place and opened it up with one of the older operas, I can't remember the name off the top of my head. But they made over a million dollars on opening night." Aira said as she looked at one of the larger candleholders, this one had skulls on it, "This is the only opera house in the county."

Larva looked at the grand staircase and the painting at the top of it, "Who's that in the painting?" He asked.

Aira looked over, "Ah that's one that was submitted to this place before it opened. They were having a contest for good romantic or tragic paintings and that's one of about thirty that won. But there are two in the painting, not one."

Gina shoved Larva closer to the painting, "Go have a look." She told him.

He sighed and walked up the stairs and looked at the painting. Larva's eyes widened when he saw what it was. A red lake surrounded a person in a black cloak holding a girl with brown hair in a white dress and both of them. _It's me holding Miyu the day she was…_ he couldn't finish his thought, and he looked to the name of the artist and was floored. It was Aira's painting.

Author's Note: Ha! There you go people, you just sit and chew on that for a little while until I get the next chapter up.


	15. The Trouble Starts

**Flame of the Guardian's Soul  
**Chapter Fourteen  
The Trouble Starts

The weekend had been a blast. Ranka could not remember the last time she had so much fun. Or any fun such as that for that matter. She had even had a chance to speak with Aira in privet and was happy to learn that she was infatuated with Larva. Of course Ranka had not told him that yet, she could tell he was infatuated with her. But with him it would be harder to tell if it was for Aira or for Miyu. Yet when she confided this to Shiina he had said, "Maybe they are soul mates? You know they are attracted to one another like magnets no matter what form or what life."

And Shiina had a point. Now if only she knew how that kind of love felt. But maybe she was just one of those girls who were not supposed to know of love. Who really was to say?

Ranka pulled on the long black skirt that Glacier had provided for her and preceded to pick out a shirt, she didn't know if she should wear the black with red roses or the black with another smart saying on it. But reading the saying on the shirt again made her giggle and she decided to wear it so she put it on and walked out of the bathroom.

"You look nice today Ranka," Shiina said to her.

She smiled, "Thank you Shiina." Looking around the room she asked, "Have the boys gone out to get their breakfast?"

"All but Larva, he's still asleep." Shiina replied and pointed to Larva sleeping on the other bed.

Ranka smiled, she couldn't help it. Larva had been acting like his old self more and more as they had spent time with Aira the last two days. And yesterday he stayed out much longer with her than the others, which reminded her, "Shiina what time did Larva come back last night?"

Shiina looked at her, "Around one, and Aira was with him. She walked with him up here and then gave him a hug goodnight. I don't think Larva expected it because it took him a few minutes to hug back. I was pretending to sleep at the time so I didn't ask him any questions or anything, but he did seem happy."

"That's good," Ranka said. "Let him sleep, I'm off to the school. I want to talk to Aira about something."

Shiina nodded, "Okay. Nagi said to tell you he's going to look around a few other parts of the city today. I think he wants to get to know it better if we are supposed to live here."

Nodding Ranka turned and vanished.

Shiina looked over at Larva who was sleeping like the dead. After a few moments he hopped off his spot on the table and over to the bed, then hopped on and looked at Larva. As he looked over his friend he saw something and blinked a few times, apparently Larva and Aira where already getting really close or elts Larva had somehow gotten a funny looking bruise on his neck. But he did see that Larva was wearing Aira's pentagram, _it's so cute_! Shiina thought as he smiled.

Ranka appeared in the lady's rest room in a stall that was vacant then she walked out, surprising two other girls and washed her hands so they might not say anything. After drying her hands off she walked out of the restroom and headed to the cafeteria, Aira had told her that the group meets there every morning to talk. But as Ranka got closer and closer she began to feel a shinma was near. She walked to the cafeteria and was about to walk in when she saw Aira at the Drink Machines and walked over to her.

"So just how late did you keep Max last night?" Ranka asked with a smile.

Aira looked up and smiled sheepishly, "Until about one in the morning, is that a bad thing?" She stood up and was holding a drink with the name Dr. Pepper on it. Aira and Ranka were wearing just about the same outfit too, only Aira's was a red tank top with a black mini skirt.

Ranka giggled, "No but he was still sleeping when I left."

"I envy him for that." Aira responded as she walked with Ranka into the cafeteria. "I like school and all I just don't see why it has to start at seven in the morning, teens don't operate this way."

"I agree. Everyone is so tired all the time and you can hardly focus on the first two periods of the day." Ranka said.

"No shit," Aira replied.

Ranka felt the presents of a shinma was really close. This was unsettling so she began to look around the cafeteria.

Aira said, "Hey Kim who's this? Your new boyfriend?"

Kim's voice replied, "You could say that, he's in the exchange program and staying with us."

A male voice joined the two, "I'll only be here in America a short time but I do think I will have a great deal of fun."

_Wait I know that voice_ Ranka thought as she turned her head. Sure enough the man holding who Ranka guessed was Kim was who she thought it was. The dark curly hair, pale skin and red eyes made it true. _Lemures_.

"So what's your name?" Aira asked looking over Lemures.

He smiled slyly, "I am Lemures. Who might you be lovely one?"

Aira looked slightly disgusted, "My name is Aira and I'm spoken for and you can stay away from me." After that Aira walked out of the cafeteria.

However, Ranka and Lemures looked at each other with looks as if to dare the other to make the first move. _What are you doing here Lemures?_ Ranka thought to herself. But when the bell rang, Ranka went back to the ladies restroom and quickly vanished. The others had to know.

Nagi and Sen-Jui walked into the hotel room. Nagi said, "It's a nice day outside but I think it's going to rain later."

Sen-Jui nodded, "Yeah the winds picking up."

"I hope it's not a big storm." Shiina said as he sat on the bed Larva had been sleeping on.

Ranka appeared beside Shiina.

Blinking Nagi asked, "Hey shouldn't you be at the school?"

"We have a problem," Ranka responded, "Where's Larva?"

"He's in the shower," Shiina replied, "What's wrong?"

"We've been followed."

Larva spoke from behind her, "The Western Shinma?"

"Yes," she said and turned to face him. "Lemures is at Aira's school. I'm not sure if any of the others are but he's there and has already made his way to one of her friends."

His eyes narrowed, "Well I guess it was a good idea when I told her about Lemures and Carlua last night." He went past Ranka and sat on the bed.

"You told her about them?" Nagi asked as Sen-Jui vanished to go to Gina's school.

"I did just incase they did follow us." Larva replied, "So they couldn't lead her into a trap."

"Well it worked, Lemures asked for her name and she said-and I quote-' My name is Aira and I'm spoken for and you can stay away from me' then she walked off." Ranka said as she sat in a chair.

"I told her to do that. Did he follow her?" Larva asked.

Ranka shook her head, "Not that I saw, I came here to warn everyone about him."

Ichiro spoke out, "I don't think he'd come here alone but I would like to know one thing."

"What's that?" Ranka asked as she looked at him.

"Well it's obvious that they have come here to get Larva, once again, but he came with us of his own free will. Cant they just respect that and leave him alone?" Ichiro asked.

Larva gave him an answer, "Because I'm a valuable member of the clan, also because my friends and Carlua care for me and want me with them."

"Still," Shiina started, "I agree with Ichiro. You came with us and you didn't have to. They need to stop acting selfish and just accept that you're with us."

Larva shook his head, "I can't explain it myself Shiina. But I do agree with you and Ichiro non the less."

Authors Note: That went fast, hee hee, I have no idea when the next chapter will be up so yeah, just enjoy while you can.


End file.
